Two Against a Nation
by four elements
Summary: Zuko X mystery girl Zuko has no help from the Fire Nation any more and is an outlaw, but will his feelings for the beautiful girl get in the way of his revenge? M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1:Encounter

This is a story for all of the Zuko fans out there and those of you who believe that there is something better out there for him. (This is my first fanfiction story, so I hope you like it!) This story takes place after the first episode of the second season and very soon after Zuko and Iroh cut off their hair, symbolizing their ties to the Fire Nation Royalty. If I get just a few comments I'll update it!

Encounter 

Zuko and Iroh stood with a heavy pain inside each of their chests. They were no longer part of the great nation that they had called home for so very long. Iroh looked up at his young and brave nephew, at just sixteen he had been banished, nearly killed on more that one occasion, and had taken on a task that many men had perished attempting-capturing the Avatar. He knew Zuko had longed so much to go back to his father and what that would have meant to him, but from the start, Iroh knew that it had all been an evil ploy to capture them, the "traitors" of the Fire Nation. He would not hold his nephew's blind hope against him because, deep down, Iroh had wanted to return also.

Zuko's amber burning eyes flicked to the forest from which they had run-there was the distinct sound of armor clanking behind them. He knew that they were of the Fire Nation. Growling, he sheathed his dagger and turned to run. Without a word, they sped forward. Normally, Zuko wouldn't have run from any fight, ever, but he was too pissed to do anything but cause more damage to what little life he had left. They sprinted further and further away from the ship that was intended for their return as prisoners of their own nation. Iroh kept up well with the spry Zuko, all the while huffing and puffing for his life. The loose dirt constantly shifted beneath their shoes and caused some slippage, not enough to make them fall, but enough to slow them down slightly. Their path ran along the clear river that slowly ushered pink and brilliant cherry blossoms down stream. They dodged jutting rocks, low-hanging branches, and giant trees in their way.

All Zuko could hear was his own desperate heartbeat and the clanging growing nearer behind them. He was not afraid, though, he was never afraid. The adrenalin only caused him to surge forward faster. The two wanted men came to a bend in the river that was flanked by a high cliff. Scrambling around the blind turn, Zuko let out an _oof_ as he ran headfirst into another being. He only took a second to process what had happened before Iroh barreled around the corner and knocked into them. Zuko had his hands on the cloaked figure's upper arms and he briefly looked down into a pair of bright blue eyes. He thought he heard the person whisper his name under its breath, but there was no time to decipher anything else. Zuko quickly shoved the figure to the side and was soon halted again by coming face to face with a troop of Fire Nation soldiers. Arms in a readied stance, he glanced back to Iroh. He was standing just in front of the cloaked figure who also had a platoon of Fire Nation soldiers behind him. Zuko was able to quickly deduct that the Fire Nation had followed that person as well. That just meant more men for Zuko to take his anger out on…


	2. Chapter 2:Revelation

Sorry that my chapters are so short, i just get to a good cliff-hanger and stop. So I apologize, but the more comments I get, the quicker I will update the story! Thank you all!

Revelation

Without warning, Zuko leapt forward giving out a low cry. His face twisted into a thing of pure malice as white-hot fames burst forth from the palms of his hands. Thrusting flaming fists into the masked faces of the Fire Nation soldiers, several were sent sprawling with loud cries of pain into the river currents. Their limp bodies were swiftly carried away through what was once a calming and pristine landscape. It resembled fighting with dolls, nameless faces that were so easily wasted.

Other soldiers advanced quickly, taking their fallen comrades' places, and returning Zuko's vicious blows. The young man dodged left and struck one of his opponents in the side of the head with the crackling flames originating from his airborne foot. Zuko quickly jumped in the air as he had many times during sparring practice and inhaled deeply, controlling the violent fire pelting the men below.

There were no more than six or seven soldiers so it took him no time at all to take them all out. Zuko landed crouched, brow furrowed, fists clenched tightly at his side, panting. He stood, mildly embarrassed that his Nation wouldn't send anyone better to capture its ex-Prince. Zuko quickly spun around when he remembered Iroh, but when he did, he saw his uncle staring at the back of the cloaked figure-standing above the motionless and smoldering bodies of nearly fifteen Fire Nation soldiers. Zuko abruptly wiped his brow and strode over to Iroh's side. "You know…he is very good," Iroh began. "He had those men knocked out before even you did!" he laughed.

"Uncle, this is hardly a time for jokes! Come on, there are bound to be more troops, if I know my sister," Zuko's last word dripped with venom. But, just then, the figure turned and made its way over to Zuko and Iroh. Its face was masked by the shadow the hood cast. The body suddenly dropped to its knees, causing Zuko to take a step back in confusion, and lifted its hood.

"Prince Zuko, I have finally found you…" the figure was a _girl_.


	3. Chapter 3:Truth

Here is a slightly longer chapter. This will help answer some questions about the mystery girl-her intentions with the Fire Nation and Zuko! Hope you like it! Please READ AND REVIEW!

Truth

Zuko's eyes narrowed in shock. This girl had been looking for him… He just didn't know what to make of it, but because of all of the happenings that day, Zuko was inclined to have raging suspicion. Iroh, being his usual pleasant and trusting self, stepped toward the kneeling girl and helped her up by her elbow. She turned to him, "General Iroh…" she resembled a small animal realizing its been caught in the sights of a predator.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" questioned Iroh. Zuko snarled, "What do you think you're doing? For all we know she could be a spy for my sister!" he pointed disdainfully at her.

"Then if I was a spy for the Princess, then why would I have just fought my own men?" she contradicted, hands on her hips. Zuko was not used to having someone talk back to him and it took a second for her argumentative words to process, "B-because you were _obviously_ trained to be very convincing."

"Come on now, this is no place for an argument," Iroh interrupted the two arguing teens that were nearly nose-to-nose. "Yes, sir," the strange girl turned to Iroh. The intensity of his shocked look was matched only by the glare in Zuko's eyes. "See, now why can't you be more like her?" Iroh jested. "Let's go, Uncle!" growled Zuko as he dragged Iroh along. There was no reason to spend any more time with a suspected spy than necessary. Zuko couldn't help but think that if she had been a man, he would have burned her to a crisp by now, but he let the thought slip away. They sped over the fallen men and along in the direction that the girl had come from.

"No, we can't go that way!" the girl called ahead to Zuko. "I can't believe you're following us!" Zuko yelled over his shoulder past Iroh. She frowned back at him, "There are Fire Nation troops swarming that village, we have to go to the forest that's coming up!" Iroh's running body shrugged and Zuko let out a low growl while swerving to the cover of the trees, _I can't believe that I'm listening to this…this…spy!_

The trio bounded and dodged the tall and winding rows of trees. Iroh would give out an occasional grunt as he hit a risen root or moss-covered branch. The girl soon passed Iroh and caught up to Zuko, much to his displeasure. "There is a clearing up ahead with a small pond, we can rest there," she breathed. Zuko had to inhale deeply to prevent himself from lashing out at this traitor. "How can I trust you?" he hated to admit it, but he was becoming slightly desperate-he was tired of running from everything. "Do you have anyone else?" she lifted an eyebrow that revealed a cockiness that rivaled even his own. Zuko turned away from her and they all kept on running.

They all soon came to the clearing, just as the girl had said. Crouching over, Zuko couldn't help but glare at the girl. She seemed to know the land too well. The three of them were panting, but none as bad as Iroh. He plopped down on the nearest stone on the pond's edge. The girl quickly stripped off her cloak, revealing a darkly colored short tunic over fitted pants-Zuko couldn't look away. _No Fire Nation colors…_ he couldn't help but think. The thought was soon pushed out of his head when he realized that a disguise would have been easily acquired. She smoothly tied back her long, dark hair and waded into the shallow pool.

The rays of sunlight peeking through the treetops glistened off of the surface of the clear water and reflected on the mysterious girl's features, highlighting every curve and angle. Zuko blinked hard and looked away, obviously the day's traumatic events had altered his perception. He looked back to see her produce an animal skin canteen from her side and she proceeded to fill it with the crystal water. She waded back over to the resting Iroh and handed him the bottle. Before he could take a drink, Zuko lunged forward, "Wait, Uncle! How do we know it's not poisoned?" He glared at the girl, but, much to his surprise, she snatched back the canteen and allowed some to trickle down her own throat-her defiant eyes never leaving his. Iroh took the pouch back, raised it to his paranoid nephew, and drank deeply. Zuko stormed off, scowling, to the opposite end of the clearing. No matter how far he went, he couldn't completely shut out their voices.

"So, my dear, where in the world did you learn to fire-bend like that?" Iroh relaxed and began to lounge on the flat boulder-shamelessly checking her out in his own usual fashion. "Well, sir, I was raised in a strict military home on the main Fire Nation land…" she trailed off. "Please, don't call me 'sir', its terribly formal, call me Iroh. Any enemy of the Fire Nation is a friend of ours. Right Zuko?" That was when Zuko saw his chance. He stood angrily and strode over to them in only a few steps. Pointing a finger in the girl's direction, he boomed, "If you were raised in such a military based household, then why betray your beloved Nation and assist a banished Prince!"

The girl's face had contorted-Zuko assumed that he'd finally scratched the surface of the spy. His face never faltered from its hateful expression-golden eyes burrowing holes in the strange girl.

She suddenly turned and splashed out of the water, causing Iroh to dodge flying water droplets. She glared at him again, hands on her hips in her seemingly signature pose, "Do you want to know why, my _Prince_? Because I was banished too!" Iroh gagged on the water he was ingesting and Zuko's jaw nearly dropped in shock. He had been the first one of royalty to be banished from the Fire Nation, but there had never been a girl banished before. For a second, he wondered what she could have possibly done that was bad enough for banishment. His question was soon answered though, "Do you want to know why?" she yelled. "It is all because of you! I was one of many who believed your banishment was unfair and that you are truly the heir to the Fire Nation-Avatar or no Avatar." Iroh's eyes began to widen in disbelief and even Zuko's steel features softened slightly.

"I spoke out, I stood up against the Fire Lord, your _father_ to let the crown prince return, for that I was considered a disgrace to my family and was sent away. I made it my mission to help you find the Avatar and finish your quest. Even if I couldn't return, you would be able to end the Fire Lord's tyranny and stop the war…"

The girl grimaced in Zuko's direction, her deep blue eyes masked by pain, and jogged off until the men could no longer see her through the dense brush. "Once again, Nephew, you judge too quickly. I told you but nooooo, don't listen to Uncle Iroh…" he took another swig of the water. Zuko thought better of going after the girl-no matter how noble she claimed her intentions of being.

Zuko did pride himself on his polished ability to read people pretty well and what he saw in the girl was nearly as much pain and suffering as he, himself, had on the inside, but he feared that his overall people judgment was clouded as of that morning's encounter with Zulema. When the sun had begun to set beyond the trees, Iroh and Zuko gathered dry sticks in silence and with a mere flick of his fingers, Zuko had begun a roaring fire for the two of them. Iroh leaned into the licking flames, constantly mumbling something about ginseng tea. Zuko sat back with his arms crossed gazing at the crackling fire. To the side sat the girl's belongings and Zuko knew that if she truly were banished, she'd hold on dearly to all that she had and come back for her things.

"You know…if you stare any harder at that flame, Zuko, its not going to listen. But if you concentrate and work _with_ it, it will obey," Iroh said solemnly. Zuko looked up at his uncle. He growled again, "I have no idea what that means…just get some sleep, we have to move fast tomorrow." Deep down, Zuko knew exactly what Iroh had been trying to tell him-that he should be more trusting and to give their new "friend" some of the benefit of the doubt. It all seemed like a rather legitimate story, but Zuko never knew that some people of the Fire Nation thought that highly of their banished prince-enough to get themselves banished for it at least.

Zuko stepped away from the fire to one of the darker areas of the clearing and sat down. His knees were bent towards the sky and tiny slivers of moonlight penetrated the whistling leaves and dotted his features. This was the time that Zuko felt at his weakest. There was no sunlight to fuel his elemental bending abilities and so he had to conserve as much energy as possible just in case they were attacked that night. Suddenly, a bag dropped into his lap and he shot up to a standing position. Startled, he brought his inner fire to the shape of a dagger in each hand.

"Relax, Prince…it's just dinner…" came the girl's voice from the shadows. Soon he was able to make out the shape of her figure in the dim light. After stepping into the glow of the fire, Iroh was able to tell who it was. "Ah, so glad to see that you have come back…and you bring food!" the old man licked his lips greedily and the girl smiled and tossed him a sack. Zuko quickly extinguished his flames and bent down to pick up his own food. He was not usually one to accept charity, but his stomach cried out in the form of a growling pang.

The girl sat down beside Iroh and opened her bag. There were several large cooked fish inside. She began to pick at her own dinner while Iroh gobbled down his. Zuko apprehensively opened his bad and his mouth shamelessly watered at the smell. He still had his suspicions about this stranger.

"I don't believe I know your name, even after all that you have done for us," Iroh sighed in contentment with his full stomach. She quietly mumbled something under her breath. "Huh? I am sorry I didn't hear you…" Iroh said. She turned to Zuko's uncle, "My name is Zana…" she smiled a shy smile. Iroh grinned from ear to ear, "Zana, what a lovely name!" Iroh suggestively raised his gray brows. _Zana…_ Zuko thought. He had a feeling like he'd heard that name before, somewhere. "Zuko aren't you going to eat? Like you said, we have to move fast tomorrow," Iroh yawned and rolled over. Within minutes he was snoring as loud as thunder. This made Zana laugh and her whole face lit up, eyes glowing and flickering with the flames in front of her.

She turned to face Zuko across the fire. Her expression was wiped back to a blank slate as she stared back at the young man. This made him feel slightly uncomfortable-he never felt uncomfortable. Zana silently stood and retrieved her meager belongings and returned to her spot near Uncle Iroh. All Zuko did was watch while Zana lay down and cover herself with her long cloak. He though he heard her say something like "Good-night, Prince," but he couldn't have been sure over the roar of the fire.

With him being the only one awake, Zuko decided to eat. He was a little wary about the food being poisoned, but it actually turned out to be pretty good. Better than anything he'd had on his own ship. Zuko found himself wondering again where he'd heard her name before.

Zana… 


	4. Chapter 4:Sparring

Thank you for all of your reviews! I really want to thank someone for their long and VERY constructive review (you know who you are and thank you sooo much for it!) and I will try to make my chapters longer, but i pretty much already have 9 chapters typed out and they are getting longer as I go! It is soooo much fun writing this story and I hope that all of you enjoy this story and keep on reviewing-the more reviews, the more chapters!

Sparring

The sun rose while Zuko slowly awoke. He stood and stretched above the indented patch of grass that was his temporary bed. The great ball of fire now appearing through the trees made his inner flame pulsate with newfound power. Zuko loved that feeling. He turned to find Iroh still sound asleep, but the girl had gone missing again-he knew that that meant one thing…

"Shit-Uncle! Get up, now! We have to move out!" Zuko rushed over to Iroh. He knew that Zana had been a spy, and now she was going to tell Zulema of their whereabouts. It was the only explanation of her disappearance. That story had put Zuko off guard and now he felt so stupid for not staying awake to watch the girl. He tried to shove Iroh's round and sleeping frame to help rouse him, but to no avail.

"Uncle!" Zuko yelled, but suddenly Iroh mumbled something in his sleep. "What?" Zuko asked urgently. "Zana…breakfast…back soon…" Iroh snored in his nephew's face. Zuko couldn't help but raise an eyebrow-he hadn't thought of that. He decided to try and find Zana to see if she really was doing as she said she was. With Iroh still out cold, Zuko slipped away into the forest in the direction some small tracks led.

He shoved aside low hanging branches and slowly made his way on the path of the tracks. He moved quietly as to not alert Zana to his presence if she really was nearby. Finally, the tree line broke to reveal a wider section of the river. Zuko looked around for any trace of the girl as there was no efficient way to track someone through the constantly shifting gravel on the river's banks. He let out a low and involuntary growl. He thought he had lost her until he spotted Zana lying comfortably on the pebbled beach beside a fire. Zuko suddenly felt very dumb as he made his way over to her splayed out body.

Zana heard Zuko coming and sat up. Their eyes met as she greeted him, "Hello, your highness." Zana had said it with an undertone that hinted to sadness, but even Zuko was not dense enough to miss it. He sighed deeply and sat beside her, staring out at the water. Zana laid back down and placed her arms behind her head. Zuko couldn't help but sneak a glance down at her. Zana's dark hair spilled out and over her arms and the ground like a wide halo, her piercing blue eyes focused on the horizon, and her tiny frame relaxed while moving slightly with her rhythmic breathing. He swallowed and looked away. "What woke you up so early?" Zana broke the silence, but she did not break her gaze from the treetops across the river.

"I always wake up at this time…" Zuko frowned. He felt as if she had hinted that he was some kind of a spoiled brat. Zuko gave her a dirty look, but she still never looked away from a spot across the river. "Me too…" Zana replied in a near whisper. "I know why you came looking for me…you don't trust me at all," Zana turned her head to look up at Zuko. He didn't meet her eyes, those eyes… He had never seen such eyes on a Fire Bender. Everyone in the Fire Nation had either gold eyes like Zuko's or dark eyes like Iroh's, but there were never any blue eyes. Those were only seen on Air Benders and People of the Water Tribes. This baffled him slightly, but he just figured it as a fluke-a nice fluke at that.

She spoke again, "I can give you my word, though, that my story is true. You should be the one in line for the throne, not your sister. She will be as harsh a ruler as the current Fire Lord…" Zana trailed off. Those words didn't hurt Zuko since he knew that his father was indeed a tyrant and his sister would follow in his footsteps, but he also knew that the Fire Nation desired a strong ruler, not some banished Prince. Zuko stood slowly and crossed his arms. "We'd better head back…" he said in a deep and commanding voice.

"Just wait," Zana replied. Zuko glared down at her-if she believed in him so much, then why didn't she obey and show more respect. "Why are you even laying here? We have a perfectly good fire back in the clearing, why not just cook there?" Zuko snapped back and flung out his arms. Zana closed her eyes and shushed the standing Prince. Zuko's fists balled while his teeth began to grind. Suddenly, the sun's rays burst over the trees' tall tops and cast its glow on the river. The light soon caught Zana's laying frame and she took a deep and pleasant breath. Zuko couldn't help but show a little pleasure in the sun as well as he closed his eyes for a moment. He had a quick flashback to when that Water Bender friend of the Avatar trapped him in ice back at the North Pole. It was the sunlight that had saved him and he was able to take the Avatar. It nearly cost Zuko his life, but he had made it out alive with the help of the warming glow.

Zana gave a contented sigh and stood to face Zuko. He opened his eyes and saw that the girl was looking up at him-the top of her head his eye level. She turned and took the rows of cooked fish and shoved them into her bags. Zuko found himself wondering why it seemed so easy for her to catch so many fish. He hated admitting it, but whenever he had tried, he had failed miserably. "What are you frowning at now?" Zana asked, multiple bags in her hands. Zuko sighed, "Here, let me help," he stuck out his hand to assist Zana in carrying her load. She pivoted away from him, "I can handle it, I'm not a baby…" She had said it slightly louder than she had intended. "You go on back to Iroh, I'll extinguish the fire," Zana grumbled. Zuko begrudgingly obeyed-he never had to listen to anyone, but it was slightly different circumstances, so he did. He turned on his heel and stormed away.

Zuko turned back, however, when he heard a loud and definite hiss behind him. There stood Zana over the now extinguished fire. "What?" she demanded. Zuko rolled his eyes at the girl's cheekiness. She had no idea that he could extinguish _her_ flame in a matter of seconds if he'd wanted to.

Zuko made it back to Iroh and the clearing first. The old man was just beginning to rouse himself with a great yawn. "Zuko…where did you run off to?" his uncle attempted to banish his fatigue by blinking heavily. "No where. Just…watching the sunrise…" Zuko replied listlessly. Even though the sun was up, he suddenly felt drained. "Where's Zana? Is she back with breakfast yet?" Iroh questioned hungrily.

"I'm here," came Zana's voice from behind Zuko. Iroh looked back and forth from nephew to girl and then back again to Zuko. His uncle's eyebrow rose suggestively again, causing Zuko to blush slightly. "Uncle!" exclaimed Zuko, flinging his arms in the air. His uncle cared for him deeply, but could have a twisted mind at times.

Zana seemed to take no notice of the hint and brushed past Zuko. She handed Iroh a sack and he smiled widely in thanks. Zana side-tossed Zuko a pack as well and he caught it with ease. All three sat down and ate in silence, Iroh making an occasional grunt in enjoyment. Zuko was the first one finished, "We'd better get moving, there are probably hundreds of Fire Nation troops out here looking for us." Zuko stood and tossed Zana's sack back to her. Without looking up from her meal, she caught it and set it aside. "Now, Zuko can we not wait at least until we have finished our meal?" Iroh whined. "No, Uncle, there isn't enough time to enjoy ourselves. We did that last time and look where we are now!" Zuko's expression became painful at the memory of Zulema's betrayal, but switched quickly to anger to hide all emotion.

Iroh seemed to pick up on the cue and spoke again, "Well, nephew, why not practice your technique? We are so far deep in this forest that it will take them hours to find us." Zuko sighed exasperatedly, "We need those hours to get far enough away…" "We can work on the issues you had fighting Zulema," Iroh interrupted Zuko. That was the last straw. Zuko just snapped-he hated when his fighting was criticized, especially in a battle that he had lost. He stormed over to his uncle, eyes aflame, "I don't _ever_ want to hear about that again! Is that clear?" Zuko bellowed. He turned, allowing torches to form around his white-knuckled fists.

Zana leaned in and whispered to Iroh, "Was it really that bad?" "That bad? Well, he was nearly killed by his only sibling. It was the ultimate treachery-first his father scars him for life, emotionally and…physically," Zana averted her eyes and examined her hands, "and now his little sister nearly got the best of him as well…" Iroh sighed sadly.

"Besides," Zuko turned back to Iroh, "who am I going to fight-the trees?" he yelled. "Oh, yeah, that's a battle…" he said sarcastically. "No," Iroh replied, "you should spar with Zana!" "What?" the teens cried at the same time. "I can't fight her, she's a girl!" Zuko yelled. "And I can't fight him because he'll get hurt!" replied Zana. "Hey, wait a minute, _I'll_ get hurt? I think it's the other way around!" exclaimed Zuko. He felt the conversation was pointless-there was no way she could defeat him. "Zuko," Iroh spoke up, "you saw how easily she took out all of those soldiers. Zana got fifteen down quicker than you beat seven!" "Barely…" growled Zuko, arms crossing his chest in frustration. "Uncle, she's just a girl!" he cried and turned his back to them.

Zana stood up silently. "Just a girl, huh?" she said, barely audible under her breath. The palms of her upturned hands ignited with her anger. Iroh looked over at her and raised his eyebrows when he realized what Zana was going to do, "Zuko…" "No, Uncle, I won't…" Zana charged Zuko's back with a loud cry. The prince turned and crossed his arms in front of his chest to deflect the blow. He gave a low grunt as Zana's force thrust him backwards. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zuko yelled. He continued to block nearly every one of the girl's skillful blows. Once or twice she caught his hip or jaw, but those were never hot or hard enough to inflict serious damage, just enough to hurt. Iroh couldn't help but cringe at all of his nephew's occasional injured grunts. This was no longer a sparring session, it was revenge for harmful words.

"Fight back, Zuko, fight back!" Iroh yelled as he stood. "Yes, Zuko, fight back," Zana growled through bursts of flame, "because the last time you underestimated a girl, she kicked your ass!" She flew airborne and landed crouched, hands alight, chest heaving with panting. Zuko's own body was in a protective stance and his face began to twist. The look resembled the one he'd had before attacking those Fire Nation soldiers the day before, only his golden amber eyes were glittered with hurt. Zana's words had struck a painful chord inside of him. Zuko let out a low, guttural noise and leapt forward, his fist a flaming meteor. Zana dodged the strike by flipping backwards onto her hands and then to her feet gracefully. The furious prince attacked again with an uppercut aimed directly at Zana's jaw, but she easily countered that with one of her own.

The two were caught in a deadlock of sparks. "You're good, Prince…" Zana spoke through gritted teeth. "But you're fueled by anger. That's your weakness!" on the last word, she flung Zuko backwards with a great burst of flame. He let out a loud yelp as his head contacted with the ground. Zana cautiously went over to the motionless Zuko, but with one swift move, he'd swiped her feet out from under her. Before he was able to plant a flaming foot in her face, Zara rolled out of the way and allowed him to scorch the grass instead. More kicks and punches were exchanged from both sides, but Zuko was able to slam Zara against one of the trees surrounding the clearing. She couldn't help by cry out as the rough bark bit into her back.

Zuko's forearm was pressing against her neck so hard that she could barely breath and his entire body was pinning her against the tree. Zana could feel how tense all of his muscles were as it took nearly all of his strength to keep her pinned there and motionless. "Underestimating a girl is dangerous, huh? You're not so tough," Zuko's teeth gritted. He secretly enjoyed the power he had over her, the dominance he possessed while he pressed his body harder against hers, making her cry out in pain again. Zana had to gasp in order to breathe. She grimaced and looked up to Zuko's face. This was the face that she had so admired and hoped would someday rule the Fire Nation better than his father. That young man was now beating her-his judgment obviously clouded by years of anger. His wide purple scar was menacing around his fury-clouded golden eye. He looked exactly like the Fire Lord had when…

Zana took a deep breath and used her crossed arms beneath Zuko's chest to create a powerful flame. The intensity of it sent Zuko flying again about eight feet. Just before he got up, Zana pounced on him, holding his shoulders down with her knees and straddling his slightly burnt chest. She pulled cocked her right arm back and from it burst a white-hot flame. From her throat came a deep yell as she shoved the heel of her palm into Zuko's face. It stopped just short. He cringed, but opened his eyes when he did not feel searing flesh as he had two years earlier. The flames just barely liked his skin and his golden eyes were wide in disbelief. She had had a chance to waste him and she didn't. Zana bent forward, her dark hair cascading across Zuko's face-hers only inches from his, "Don't _ever_ say I'm 'just' a girl." Zana sneered, blue eyes icy cold, and stood. She stepped aside from Zuko's chest and offered him her now extinguished hand. Zuko scooted away from her and refused to acknowledge her existence. He also stood as Zana began to walk towards the cheering Iroh.

_I'll show her…_ thought Zuko.


	5. Chapter 5:Secrets

Hey, let me know if there is anything that I can add to make my story better, please! I need constructive criticism to write better stories! Thank you all, read and review!

Secrets

"Very good, Zana, very good," praised Iroh with a smile. "Thank you," Zana replied, but she didn't return his grin. Zuko bared his teeth in an animalistic way as he lunged toward Zana's back-flames spitting from his hand. Iroh's eyes widened, "Zana, block!" She turned to face the oncoming fire, but instinctively spun it away with a powerful flip of her hands. Her eyes became large and unblinking and personified her dumbfounded emotions. "Enough, Zuko! You lost, the practice is over!" Iroh called out as he went to Zana's side. "You are becoming as bad as General Zhao was after you defeated him," Iroh's eyes narrowed at his panting nephew.

"You…you know General Zhao?" Zana stuttered as she took a step away from Iroh. "Of course," replied Iroh, "why?" "Nothing! I am, uh, going to the river. I'll be back-there's no need to follow me this time," she became flustered and jogged off into the woods. After her figure disappeared, they could still hear some sticks being clumsily broken through the trees. Iroh turned and shrugged to Zuko.

"Why did you have to interfere, Uncle?" he yelled, his frame still bobbing with his heavy breathing. "All I did was stop you from making a grave mistake, Nephew…" "I wouldn't have regretted it!" Zuko bellowed in return. "This girl, Zana, is probably one of the only people from the Fire Nation who believes that you can end the Fire Lord's rein of bloodshed and war. Not to mention she stood up and spoke her mind. Knowing my brother, and having witnessed what he did to his only son…, I am truly surprised that she wasn't killed and just merely banished," Iroh spoke. "Well, if it is that big of a deal for her, then why does she push all of my wrong buttons and purposely defy and fight with me?" Zuko argued back loudly. "Is it really that hard to see, Zuko?" he looked his nephew in the eye. "You two have exactly the same strong-willed personalities. Both of you feel like you constantly have to prove something, that if you just take one more step, you'll win the nonexistent race…" This made Zuko think-and now that he did; he realized his uncle was right. All of the fights that they had had were over who was more in charge or more powerful. Zuko's muscles began to relax a little. He realized that he had overreacted a bit at Zana's comment, but she had been the one to go a little too far with her words.

I suggest that you apologize now, or we may lose our greatest ally in the battle against the Fire Nation…" Iroh said softly. Zuko sighed deeply and contemplated the idea. "I-I will when she gets back…" he replied. "No, now or she may not come back," his uncle commanded. Zuko grumbled, but slowly made his way in the direction that the girl had run off to.

Zana's head broke the surface of the river's water. She was lucky enough to have found a calmer section to cool down in. It had been a grueling fight with Zuko-no one, not even a full-grown man, had gotten that close to beating her-ever. It startled her slightly that someone of Zuko's age could contain that much power, but waste it on anger and hatred. She ran her hands through her soaked hair and checked to make sure no animals had run off with her clothing. It was still there though, unmoved in a little heap on the river's bank. She sighed, enjoying the calming effects of the water, and allowed it to make her body buoyant.

Zana closed her eyes as the sun beat down on her. That last attack from Zuko had caught her completely off guard. It didn't help that it had come from the one person that she had believed in for years without fail. Now that Zana had actually met the Prince, she realized he was madder at the world than she had anticipated. She had always pictured him as less willing to judge-especially with his own…personal issues. Most of the main Fire Nation citizens had been there when their Prince was struck down by his own father. Zana had been there as well, it was expected of her because of her military origins. She had to leave just after the incident, though. It was just too painful to watch.

She shuddered and submerged her body in the water. Zana held her arm up and looked at one of the deep purple bruises already beginning to form. She wasn't a wimp, but her neck hurt the worst of all. It was tender and her windpipe was just beginning to loosen up from the hard pressure that had been exerted on it earlier. In her mind, though, her entire image of Zuko had been shattered. He was becoming nearly as ruthless as the Fire Lord when his anger was extorted. To tell the truth, Zana felt if he wasn't saved soon, he might destroy himself from the inside out.

Zana's feet easily found the slippery riverbed and she began to stand. It wasn't a difficult task as the water only came up to just below her waist. She trailed her fingers in the water around her and held up her hands, creating little rivulets that ran down her sides. Zana smiled at the water's cooling touch. Then there was the comment about General Zhao. She knew all about him and his vicious ways, but she didn't know if she should tell them that-her train of thought was interrupted when a twig suddenly snapped in the brush near the edge of the river.

Zana quickly sank down to the water at chin-level and faced the noise, "Who's there?" Zana demanded. She listened carefully for any more signs of life, but there was nothing more. She was still wary however and stayed in the water as long as she could, but that soon became impossible as hypothermia began to set in and she had to create a flame by concentrating her breath. As quickly as she could, Zana ran out of the water, covering what she was able to, and tugged on the bottom part of her black under-suit and then her thin-strapped shirt. She put on the upper portion of the under-suit, tied it, and then lashed on her dark tunic. All of her clothes were damp and she decided to make them dry faster by raising her body temperature to soaring heights. This caused steam to emanate from her entire being. After that was complete, Zana took the ribbon from around her wrist and tied her still slightly damp hair back into a high bun in one sweeping motion. Then, slipping on her shoes, she made her way back to the campsite where Iroh and Zuko waited.

Zuko crouched behind a great tree near to the campsite. Zana was coming back in his direction. He had seen her… He had been on his way to apologize after Iroh's lecture and came to the gap in the trees where he believed Zana had gone. He peered around the trees, not sure how the girl would react to him following her after his last sneaky move. He ducked back immediately after what he saw, though. Zana was in the river, alone, her clothes discarded on the river's edge. He hadn't seen anything since her body was almost completely submerged in the blue-tinted water.

Zuko didn't know what he should do. He contemplated going back to camp and telling Iroh that he couldn't find Zana and just waiting for her to return, but his uncle had already given him one lecture and that was all he could handle per day. He also thought about waiting behind the tree as he was now, but Zana wasn't stupid and she would deduct that he had been watching her, then he probably _would_ get his ass kicked again… All Zuko knew was he had to find out approximately how much time he had before she would be done. He silently peered around the tree, but his heart skipped a couple of beats at what he saw. Zana was standing in the shallow water with her waist-up exposed. His breath caught in his throat with every swelling hill and valley of her toned flesh and muscle. Zana's curved figure fluctuated slightly as she ran her hands through the silky water surrounding her. She was too far away to see in too much detail, but he allowed his imagination to fill in the rest. Even from his distance, he could see the smile paint itself across her face. Zuko couldn't help but lean forward to see better, he was a sixteen-year-old young man with raging and unstoppable hormones after all. As he did so, though, he stumbled and crushed a small stick beneath one of his feet. Zuko crouched down as low as he could in the bushes beneath him.

Zana had dropped down into the water, concealing everything and she cried out in a threatening voice. He quietly peeked out from the leaves of his hiding place and saw that she was pissed. Zuko crept away as quietly as he could and made his way back in the direction of the camp.

And so, Zuko was crouched behind a tree, trying to slow his racing heart and quell his sudden onslaught of male desires. He had never felt that way before about anyone. Iroh had hinted to him about finding someone before, he was even pushing Zuko on that Tracker girl who had helped him find the Avatar. Not to mention how many times he had been teased about his "girlfriend" being that very Water Bender who had trapped him back up at the North Pole. Zuko took a deep breath and shoved his palms into his closed eyes. He didn't know what Zana had been thinking. She was the one who warned them about how this land was crawling with soldiers of the Fire Nation. _Who knew what they would do to her if they found her in that…condition,_ Zuko thought. But he did in fact know, the soldiers would shamelessly ravage the banished traitor-_stop thinking like that! What do you care?_ he scolded himself internally. Zuko felt there was no reason for him to have those feelings for Zana.

He stood up as fast as he could once he heard shuffling footsteps approaching. It was only one step so he could easily and safely deduct that it was not a platoon of Fire Nation troops. Zuko stepped out to face Zana. Seeing her so soon caused a deep blush to creep to his face, but his solemn expression didn't change. He hoped that Zana didn't notice. "Zuko?" her quizzical expression matched the tone of her voice. "What are you doing here?" He cleared his throat and tried to keep his eyes locked on hers and refused to let them wander to any other…part of her. "I…um…wanted to say that I am…" he wasn't good at apologies-he'd never had to say he was sorry before, to anyone. In fact, the last time he'd tried to apologize, his father gave him a scar he would never forget.

"Yes?" Zana leaned forward, waiting for him to finish his sentence. "I wanted to apologize for the way I…behaved earlier, it was…wrong. I hope you can accept," Zuko couldn't help but stutter. Zana gave a thoughtful _Hmmm…_ and responded, "Well, I guess that I'm at fault too. I should have never said such mean things to you while we were fighting," the look in her crystal eyes seemed so sincere that it actually moved him. Zuko's eyes got wide, "I guess…you're right." His eyebrows raised and for a second he resembled Iroh. Zana tilted her head and smiled a little, "We'd better get back to your uncle and move out." She began walking and all Zuko could do was stand there and watch. He found himself noticing how her hips swayed a little as she moved. His head shook as he dismissed the thoughts running through his head. Zuko soon followed: far behind her.

When the two of them reached the clearing, Iroh was passed out again, snoring loudly. Zana went over and shook him gently to wake him. Iroh snorted a little, but immediately sat up when he realized it was Zana who had woken him up. "Oh, my, Zana! Did everything work out ok?" he turned to his nephew. "Yes, Uncle, can we finally get moving?" Zuko grumbled. "Iroh, we really should be going," Zana coaxed.

Within a matter of minutes, the three of them were on their way. Trudging along through the trees, they were silent until Zana spoke up, "Did I do that to you?" she motioned to the singed section over Zuko's heart. It had been when Zana blew him backwards with a powerful blast of fire. "Yes, actually," he looked down and examined the blackened area of his gray tunic. He thought it a little ironic because of the way seeing Zana earlier had caused his heart to fluctuate. "I'm sorry…" Zana didn't take her eyes away from the burn. Zuko just stared at her concerned face. Iroh interrupted by clearing his throat behind them. Both teens turned around, "When are we going to rest?" he whined. Both of them rolled their eyes.

After traveling for hours, the river could be heard and it soon came into view. It glittered like scales beneath the late midday sun. They decided to take the path along the river's bend because it would be harder for the soldiers to track them. There was hardly any communication except for Iroh's occasional grunting complaints. Their pace slowed when they felt that they were far enough away from their previous campsite. Iroh decided once again to break the silence, "So, Zana, I couldn't help but notice your very unique eyes. In all my years, I have never seen such gems on a Fire Bender," he looked up into Zana's face. Zuko also looked, but slyly and out of the corner of his eye.

"Well, they're not that big of a deal," she gave a little nervous laugh and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Of course they are," Iroh huffed. "They are just a lovely fluke!" he smiled. "Well…they really aren't a 'lovely fluke'," Zana growled and stormed off to the water's edge. The two men looked at each other, puzzled by the girl's odd behavior. They caught up to her easily and stood nearby. "What's wrong?" Iroh asked as Zuko stared on. "They're not…because I'm a Double Bender…" Zana trailed off.

"A what?" Zuko's voice rose. He honestly believed that she had lost it. "A Double Bender…" she turned to face them, "It's kind of like being half an Avatar; only I am like this because of heredity. It means I can Fire Bend…and Water Bend. Zuko's features became a smirk, "Looks like we picked up a-" his words were cut off by a little grunt from Zana and a wet _smack_ across Zuko's face. "What the!" Zuko yelled and put a hand across his stinging cheek. "I believe she just whipped you with a stream of water," Iroh's eyes were wide in disbelief and his mouth was so large and open that it looked as if his jaw had been dislocated from the rest of his skull.

"I told you…" Zana shrugged.


	6. Chapter 6:Shock

Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I hope that the little encounter between Zuko and Zara in the river was good enough and I promise that there will be more where that came from! Not necessarily so much in this chapter, but a little bit of mixed emotions from both sides and an even more shocking secret is revealed later-more so than Zara being a Double Bender. Keep on reading, my loyal fans!

Shock

Zana shoved her hands to her hips as the river lapped at her shoes. Not even Zuko could conceal his shock at her revelation. "But…how is this possible?" stuttered Iroh. "Well," she walked over to the men, "supposedly, somewhere way back in my family lineage, a Water Bender married into my family. I guess it skipped several dozens of generations and…," she sighed, "I got stuck with it…" Zuko's eyebrows cocked. It was a little much to comprehend. "Guess that explains why it's so easy for you to catch fish," Zuko realized.

"Why don't we all just rest here for a little while," Iroh said as he plopped onto the shifting gravel. Zuko kept standing, however, and just stared at Zana. She turned away; "I guess I'll catch us some lunch…" she trailed off. Without another word, she dropped her cloak, pulled off her shoes and rolled up the legs of her under-suit. As she waded into the current, Zuko went to the forest's edge to gather wood. Within seconds there was a roaring fire alive and crackling in front of Iroh. Zuko righted himself and watched Zana stand in the water. It swelled around her toned legs as she concentrated intently on something below the surface. Her eyes suddenly lit up and with a graceful sweep of her hands, a large fish was carried up from the river inside of its own little liquid bubble.

"Graceful and elegant, huh?" Iroh spoke up to Zuko. He returned his uncle's look, but intensified it with a brutal scowl. He grunted and turned his attention away from Iroh and Zana and to the licking flames in front of him. It had always amazed Zuko how such a thing of power could originate from him. Granted, he was not exactly unique in his bending abilities-there were more Fire Benders than any other types of Benders in the world, but it impressed him every time. Zuko's amber eyes changed to a hue of orange and flickered with the light.

Zana appeared at his side soon enough with four large fish stuck onto two sets of sticks. She kneeled down with a tired sigh and shoved the ends of the poles into the ground so the fish were able to cook. "You think I'm a freak, huh?" Zana said into her arms atop her knees. "No, no, quite the contrary," replied Iroh, "I am just curious how you were able to teach yourself Water Bending? How did you even find out you were a Water Bender?" Zana sighed again, "Um…you see when I was born; my father questioned my very paternity due to my odd blue eyes. He felt his 'bastard child' had been fathered by one of our Water Tribe servants," Zana's eyes rolled in sarcasm over her father's past words, but it was easy to tell just how those words still stung deeply. "My mother finally convinced him that she was true to him, though I think the only reason she did stay true was in fear for her life…"

"You see…my father is a brutal man, and when my mother died while I was still young, his anger turned to rage since he couldn't have a son. I became that son in a way," she looked over to Iroh, "it's the reason I am so trained, it probably wouldn't have happened if I'd had a brother…guess I am kind of lucky, huh?" Zana gave a painful smile. She turned her focus back to the fire and their food. Bending forward, she twisted the sticks so the fish would not burn. Sitting back, she began again, "When I got older, I got very angry when my father was about to go away to the war. Though he was cruel and abusive, he was all I had. Nearby, we had a fountain in our courtyard and as I threw my arms in the air to protest, the fountain burst and spewed water everywhere. Not to mention, Father was pretty pissed and forbid me to tell anyone of that incident and to _never _Water Bend again." Zana's eyes were thoughtful with her tale and Iroh looked over her hunched frame to Zuko, motioning for him to say something.

"Uh, I guess you kept it up…" Zuko said quietly. Zana turned to him and smiled, "Good guess…" Her eyes didn't break contact with his, "I did a little research and discovered a Water Bender way back in my lineage. This inspired me to practice and practice, over and over from some scrolls that we had in our library. It was hard keeping it a secret, but I was able to. I know the basics pretty well; I don't think I'll have to learn more as Fire Bending came so easily for me." Iroh caught the corner of Zana's eye and gave her a greatly apologetic look; "I don't need your sympathy…" she stood after reading his expression and went back to the water's edge to gather her discarded items.

Iroh leaned into his nephew whose gaze was set on the receding girl, "She's deeply hurt. Both of you put on a hard-as-steel façade, but have very difficult pasts." "Our histories are nothing alike," Zuko frowned, but never stopped looking at Zana's back. "As a matter of fact, you are right," Iroh said. That got Zuko's attention and he turned to his uncle. "Your father wanted you and cared for you, up until the point that you defied him, but Zana's father-whoever he was-never wanted her. The amount of hurt _is_ very different, I'm sure…" Iroh faced the fire and prodded a fish to see if it was done. Zuko growled deeply and stood up from his cross-legged position. Iroh had been right-at one point at least; Zuko's father had wanted him, whereas hers had always considered Zana a "bastard child". _Damn!_ he thought, _Why the hell am I so emotional all of a sudden. I used to be a master at masking my emotions and now, ever since Zana came into the picture, I seem to wear my feelings on my sleeves._

Zuko stormed over to where Zana was collecting her things beside the river and took a deep, slow breath to calm himself. "It hurts, doesn't it?" he said softly. All she did was freeze and look up at him. She seemed like she was waiting for more, "I mean, we're really two of a kind," Zuko remembered what Iroh had said, "both of us have been hurt by ones we loved, outcast, banished, but we try to make the best of it…" He trailed off after his eyes gave a smile so slight that Zana might have missed it if she blinked. It was her turn to grin; that was the Zuko she had always pictured ruling the Fire Nation.

She cleared her throat and stood back up, "You know, you are right… Here, I want to show you something." She began pulling him to the water's edge, her skin tingled slightly were their flesh contacted.

"What are you doing?" Zuko questioned, utterly confused. "_I _am going to teach _you_ Fire Bending, Prince." "What?" he snickered, "You teach me?" "Well, I already kicked your butt once, why not show you something that may give you the advantage next time?" Zana spoke very matter-of-factly. "Hey, Uncle!" Zuko called over his shoulder, "this girl thinks she can teach me a thing or two about Fire Bending!"

Iroh looked up from the sizzling fish, "I'd listen to her if I were you, nephew. Remember last time…" he cringed at the memory. "Heh, whatever," Zuko rolled his burning eyes, "I had the best Masters train me back at the Palace since I was a child. I highly doubt you can teach me anything, Zana…" During his little speech, Iroh had made his way over to Zana and Zuko. "All right," Zana spoke with a large cockiness in her tone, "but do you know this one?"

Zana stood, feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, her left arm extended far out in front of her, facing the twinkling river. All Zuko did was watch in apprehension, his arms crossing his broad chest. Her left hand swung back and arched above her dark head and finally landing with a tiny clap atop the left one. Zana's chest shifted a bit with the concentrated breath she took to produce the minute flame in the gap now between her palms. She smiled, revealing all of her teeth to Iroh and Zuko.

"You call _that_ a Fire Bending move? I've seen-" he was cut off by Zana bringing the little fire to her mouth, pursing her lips as if she was going to kiss it, and her tiny chest heaving with a great gust of air. That focused air caused a gigantic burst of fire large enough to engulf nearly half of Zuko's old ship towered in front of Zana's tiny frame. Zuko was struck speechless. "Is there no end to what you can do!" Iroh cried delighted and clapping his hands. Zana rubbed her hands together and approached the shocked men. "I call that the 'Kiss'…" she trailed off and eyed Zuko before heading back to the fire Zuko had made. When they could no longer see her face, Zana bit her lip to keep herself from squealing. _Why did I just do that! Now he'll probably think that I am attracted to him! What then? My mission is to return him to the throne…_ she mentally screamed at herself. Though she had to admit that it was fun to egg Zuko on like that. Zana smiled to herself, but she denied that deep down she had wanted to give him that look in the first place, and that she was proud of acting on her impulses.

Back at the water's edge, Iroh was still ranting to Zuko about Zana's power and ability. "I have never seen anything like it! You have got to let her teach you that move!" his uncle exclaimed over and over again. All Zuko could think about was how it was possible for something so grand to originate from such a slender and fragile being. He had to remind himself, however, that she had been the one to beat him royally earlier that day. She had made such an obviously difficult move look so easy. The way her body moved so fluid-like. He hadn't seen many female Fire Benders, but even Zulema didn't move like that, so Zuko figured it was because of her Water Bending abilities.

Then, there was that look… Zuko didn't think that he had imagined it, but Zana had given him a definite "look". He was unsure as to what it meant though. She could have been just exhibiting more defiance and pride, or-"Then, how about that interesting glint she had in her eyes…" Iroh smiled mischievously and interrupted Zuko's train of thought. He faced his uncle. "I have no idea what you're talking about…" he couldn't help but look back at Zana who was now finishing off cooking the fish. "You know, nephew, the 'if I were just a few years younger' look…you know?" Iroh raised his eyebrows in a suggestive jest and nudged Zuko's arm with his shoulder. This caused Zuko's temper to flare. What really made him angry was he didn't know exactly why.

"Shut up, Uncle!" he threatened under his breath and stormed off towards Zana's direction. Iroh couldn't help but snicker as Zuko walked away. His nephew probably didn't know it yet, but he had fallen for the one of the few people who still believed in the fallen Prince. Maybe there was still a way for him to right himself again, with help from a sturdy crutch, of course.


	7. Chapter 7:Emotions

Well, we had some revelations in the last chapter and there are bound to be more! In the upcoming chapters, I will follow through with my promise for more going on between Zana and Zuko! I also feel bad that this chapter is so short, and I will try my best to make them longer in the future! I do need reviews to make the story as good as possible, so (I will repeat for like the BILLIONTH time,) read and reply please!

Emotions

Zuko strode over to Zana's side. He was dumbfounded over what his uncle had said. _Pervert…_ Zuko thought to himself as he shook his head. "I hate to admit it, but that was pretty good," he said to her hunched-over frame. She seemed to tense a little at the sound of his voice. She handed him a finished fish on a stick and sat back to start her own. Zuko sat down as well and stretched out his legs. The two of them ate in silence as Iroh came over and began his own meal. Zuko refused to look his uncle in the eye.

Zana spoke up, "I noticed you both cut your hair…" she'd said it without looking up. Zuko and Iroh turned to each other. They hadn't really thought of it. "I know that it's for disowning the Fire Nation, but could you at least make it look good?" Zana snorted with the last word if her sentence. She looked from Prince to General-Ihro's gray hair was now thinner on top than everywhere else atop his head and Zuko's own coal-black hair a mere stub entwined with his royalty sash. "We weren't very concerned about it at the time since we were running from Fire Nation soldiers and all…" Zuko rolled his eyes. "Well, why not let me help?" Zana stood and went to her cloak. From an inside pocket, she pulled out a little switchblade. Flipping it open she walked over to Iroh and kneeled behind him. Zuko watched as bits and shreds of Iroh's hair floated to the pebbles. Soon enough, Zana stood, "There…" she smiled. He hated to admit it, but it did make his twisted uncle look a bit better.

"You are next, Prince," Zana walked over to Zuko. "I don't know about this…" his head followed her movements. "I won't hurt you if that's what your worried about!" she sounded slightly offended. "No, its not that," he said to the air since she was now situated behind him. "I don't know…" he trailed off. "Ok, then, let's start," she seemingly coaxed a splash of water out from the river as one would a timid creature. It rotated and stayed elevated as she cut loose his royalty sash and dropped it over his head into his lap. He fingered the golden silk. He had long forgotten what it looked like-it had since assumed a role as an everyday part of him. Zuko felt he should keep it with him and he proceeded to wrap it around his wrist.

"You, uh, need to tilt your head back. I can't reach, you're too tall," Zana meekly spoke up. Zuko gave an exasperated sigh and did as he was told. The brilliant sunlight blinded him, so he was forced to close his eyes. The warmth was such a pleasant contrast to the icy water on his scalp. He had never liked the cold, he was never really forced to get used to it. That was until his recent trip to the North Pole…and a humiliating defeat in which he'd nearly lost his life. Zuko allowed himself to daydream of better days as Zana 'fixed' his hair. Iroh looked on at the two of them. Most likely, if that had been anyone else behind Zuko, they would have had multiple burns by now-telling him what to do, having power over him… Zana seemed to release a gentler side of Zuko he had not seen in years.

When she finished, Zana stood, waiting for the, now officially, ex-Prince's approval. Zuko came back to the real world and let his weathered hands graze his smooth skull. "Am I _bald_?" he looked up at her and gave her the most childish look she'd ever seen. "Yes," she laughed, "It was the only thing I could do for you." Then Zuko did something completely out of character and unexpected: he laughed.

The laugh itself wasn't much, but the way it softened his stone face did wonders. It made him look his age, and not the battle-hardened man he made out to be all of the time. "I probably look like that Avatar!" he gasped while catching his breath. Zuko had used muscles he hadn't used in years and the sensation gave him a high. "The Avatar's bald?" Zana looked puzzled. She had never seen a sketch of the Avatar before-she'd just always assumed he had hair since everyone said he was merely 12 years of age. "Yes, but this is good…it's very different," he stood up next to Zana.

Iroh was recovering through this entire conversation. He had nearly keeled over when he had heard Zuko's long-forgotten laughter. "Zuko, I haven't seen you smile, let alone heard your laugh in nearly three years!" Iroh was shocked. "We should definitely keep this girl around, she's good for your health," he said as he threw his fish carcass into the river's current. It was easily swept away and downstream. Both teens' faces became a bright red, but both turned away so the other would not see. Zana began walking back to her cloak to replace her switchblade. Zuko spun around to Iroh, "Why must you always pester me about the smallest things. I'm a man and can make my own decisions without your help…" he snarled. All Iroh did was shrug in response, "Just be sure you make the correct ones…" Iroh went quiet and collapsed backwards with a sigh. He had obviously decided that they were going to rest there for longer than expected.

Zana walked back to the fire. She couldn't help but think about Iroh's comments. Had Zuko really not smiled since he'd been banished? Everyone had to smile at one point, even she did. Suddenly, a sharp pain went up and down her back. Zana was forced to inhale a deep and quick breath to keep from crying out. She hadn't felt that pain in such a long time…she figured it must have been when Zuko had her up against the tree in their fight… "Are…you ok?" Zuko interrupted her thought, "You're grimacing," there was a quick flash of something that resembled concern in his eyes, but it was gone in an instant. "Yes, I am fine, just…tired, that's all," Zana forced a smile.

They both sat down beside the fire. Iroh was across from them, already snoring loudly again. Zuko glared at him, "We should have made much more progress! It's all his fault; Uncle is just so damn lazy," Zuko growled. It looked like the old Prince was back, "Don't blame him. Iroh is just not as young as he used to be and he can't do as much as he used to be able to. It's not his fault-" Zana spoke up to defend him. "Well, then explain to me how yesterday he took out multiple Fire Nation troops and prevented Azula from killing me? He didn't seem all that tired to me!" Zuko explained.

"Hmm, guess you're right, he is lazy," Zana laughed. Zuko watched her face light up when she did. Her lips curled slightly and just barely crinkled her smooth features. "What are you staring at?" she felt she had done something wrong. "Oh, um," she had caught him, "I was just thinking, now you can't call me Prince anymore…" "What to you propose I call you then?" she looked at him, knowing full well the answer, but wanting to hear it from his lips. "Zuko…just Zuko," he looked thoughtful. "It has been so long since I was _just_ Zuko, no title or curse attached. I think it would be nice to just have a name…" he looked into her eyes-amber locking onto crystal. "Yes, it is nice," Zana smiled, but soon broke the eye contact.

She scooted away from him a little, "But if you don't mind, _Zuko_, I would like to rest. We should be able to make up more time if we are all well rested." Zana laid out her cloak and situated herself on top of it to provide a little bit of a barrier from the harsh stones. Zuko watched as her eyes closed even before her head hit the fabric. All he could do was stare at her relaxed features. His mind flicked to a flash back of earlier that day when he's witnessed Zana at the river. She was beautiful, there was no denying it and he had to restrain himself from brushing his fingertips across her cheek. She was stubborn though: when she wasn't beating him. That was the part that infuriated him-she never listened, had a cocky attitude, and was too good at things for her own well-being. They really were too much alike.

Zuko watched as the sun dotted her complexion and her breathing evened out, indicating that she had indeed fallen asleep. He had to force himself to look away to shake out what he felt inside. The feelings were totally alien to him and he didn't like the way they felt. He thought those emotions indicated weakness and he couldn't afford to be weak, not when he was planning on going up against his father as soon as he could. Zuko scowled and laid back, legs straight, arms resting on his chest-just as he had always done back on his now demolished ship. He felt a pang. That ship was what would have carried him back out to the main Fire Nation land with the Avatar's head in victory… Too bad he didn't have that ship and he would never have the Avatar's head, because he had decided not to hunt him any longer. Zuko's eyes closed to block out the sun's rays and he fell into a restless sleep.


	8. Chapter 8:Rescue

I was sooooo proud of that last ending! What do you think about Zuko deciding not to fight the Avatar (a.k.a. Aang) anymore? I think that it put an awfully unexpected turn into the story! Hope you like it! More surprises this chapter, plus we actually see Aang, Katara, and Sokka! READ AND REVIEW!

Rescue

Zuko stood in the middle of the great hall back in the Fire Nation palace. He was surrounded by hundreds of citizens, their body heat reaching him even more than the flames around the base of the stage. He could smell the pungent scent of brimstone swelling around his body. Even the oxygen was thin and making it difficult to breathe. A ceremonial robe hung loosely over Zuko's bare shoulders and flung to the ground as he spun to face his opponent. He turned to face the Fire Lord, his father. It was a nightmare all over again. Zuko' eyes widened in horror as a ball of flame rocketed at his face. Zuko tried to block, but was frozen solid. "No! No! Not again!" was all he could mumble. He was unable to neither move nor cry out. As the flames licked at his face, Zuko gave one last painful scream as he sat up shaking from his nap.

His chest was heaving with his panting and forehead peppered with beads of sweat. Zuko stumbled to the river's edge and sank back to his knees. Splashing the cool water on his face, one of his hands traced his wide scar surrounding his eye. He allowed his hand to linger there as he banished all of his hellish memories. "It was just a dream," Zuko growled to himself as he stood, fire causing the sizzling water traces still on his hands to evaporate.

He sighed and looked back over to the fire where Zana and Iroh were still sleeping. The sun was still high in the sky so he couldn't have been sleeping for too long. Zuko decided he needed a way to let out some of his aggravation. He decided to meditate-that had always made him feel a bit better, for the time being, at least. Zuko trudged further downstream, so he would not be disturbed if his companions awoke and untied his tunic. He carelessly flung it off to the side and away from the water so it wouldn't get damp. Sitting down cross-legged, he laid his hands in his lap, but stopped the process when he realized he had no meditation candles. He gave an aggravated grunt when he decided he'd have to make due with his own fire in his palms.

Zuko began to center himself and his chest heaved with every concentrated breath he took. The tiny flames hovering above his palms fluctuated then burst into great fires along with the rhythm of his breath. He envisioned only darkness, a void and nothing else. That helped to calm him.

His concentration was soon broken as a figure appeared in the void. It was a slender frame in dark clothing. He didn't have to look hard to tell that it was Zana. No matter how much Zuko concentrated, he was unable to remove the picture from his center. The distraction was not a good one. She was what was pulling him away from focus, but still, Zana came nearer to him and spoke, "Zuko," she said his name in such a way… He wanted to hear it again and again, but only from her. She made it sound so good.

Zana had woken with Zuko's cry. He had had a bad dream, but she thought better of it to go over and comfort him. The dream had obviously upset Zuko and Zana believed it was best if she let him alone. With one eye partially open, she watched him move away and remove his tunic. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of his lean muscle. She had known what was under there, Zana had felt his power when he'd pinned her up against the tree, but the actual sight of Zuko's naked chest exhilarated her for some reason. She quickly shook off the feelings tough-there was no need for them.

What he did next baffled her. Zuko sat down and held his palms up. With his eyes closed, he created small fires in each hand. Those flames rose and fell like a heart beat. Zana couldn't help but be curious, so she got up and went over to his side. She stood beside him, waving her hand in front of his face. "Zuko?" she asked, a little concerned when he did not respond. "Zuko?" she asked a little louder that time. Zana was about to repeat herself again when he suddenly reached out; flames extinguished and grabbed her arm. Zana gave a little yelp of surprise just before Zuko's lips met hers. His eyes were still closed-even his scar was softened slightly, but soon hers closed as well when she gave into it. Zuko's touch was stiff, but warm and searching. Zana had landed on her knees in front of his legs and she found herself slowly inching forward for more depth. Her hand elevated slightly as she fought the urge to place it in the center of his sleek chest. Zuko pulled away too soon in Zana's opinion, but he had secretly wanted to keep going as well. She opened her eyes soon after the contact was broken.

"What was that for?" Zana tried to sound a little offended, just in case it was all a misunderstanding, but she didn't know how it could have been. "It shut you up, didn't it?" Zuko joked, his voice was slightly husky. He had had to tear his lips away from Zana's-he couldn't deny that he'd wanted so much more… "I…uh…just wanted to know what you were doing…" Zana stuttered, staring at his lips and wondering what it would be like to touch them again. "Meditating, now be quite," Zuko jested and pulled her to his side so their hips were touching. "Join me if you want…" he went back to his concentration. Zana blushed deeply and began to mimic his moves. "After this, we spar…" Zana trailed off and Zuko grunted in agreement. He wanted another chance to whip her.

If Zana had opened her eyes again, she would have seen Zuko looking back at her intently, shocked at himself for having done that. He knew deep down that it would just complicate things even more, but he couldn't help it. He had wanted so badly to do that. Zuko returned to face forward, but using his meditation as just a ploy so she could not really see what he was thinking. His lips curved into a mischievous grin as images of he and Zana moved through his mind…

Meanwhile, Aang, Katara, and Sokka were all wandering on the shores of a mass of land. Appa had become worn out from flying them away from the Earth Kingdom, so they had decided to stop at a nearby island for a rest-the very island that Zuko, Zana, and Iroh were on. The trio had left shortly after the incident with Aang and the Avatar State. "Why can't we fly again?" Sokka wined. "Because Appa is tired from lugging along your fat butt this entire time!" Katara was tired of being nice to her older brother and his childish behavior. "Come on, guys!" cried Aang, "There is bound to be some food in these woods," he kept encouraging them.

"Ohhhhh, food!" Sokka's stomach rumbled in compliance. "I can hear a river up ahead!" Katara yelled happily. Aang and Momo sped forward. It was a hot day and everyone needed to cool down for a while. Sokka chased after the Avatar and the Water Bender, only hitting his head on a branch and stubbing his toe on a root once or twice. Both of them were already at the river's lapping edge by the time he stumbled out of the dense brush. Katara was filling her canteen and Aang was playfully splashing Momo.

Sokka collapsed to his rear on the pebbled beach, "Hey, Katara, why don't you catch a fish or something? I'm _starving_!" His sister raised an eyebrow, "With that kind of attitude, you can catch your own dinner tonight." "You mean we're actually staying here tonight? On this little island? Here?" Sokka ranted. "We can't even sleep on Appa because that dumb animal is passed out on its back!" his annoying complaining voice was beginning to get on Katara's nerves. As her brother was talking, she coyly swiped him with a backhanded Water Whip. Sokka let out a yelp as he was drenched and his hair hung to the sides instead of up in its usual bun. "Hey, that's not fair!" Aang was already on his back laughing like crazy. He loved it when Katara got back at Sokka for his attitude. If he were the one to do it, he probably would have hurt Sokka, so he pretty much left it up to Katara.

A cry came from downriver, causing the three of them to gasp in shock. Even from how far away the supposed fight was, they could see bursts of fire engulfing air. "Fire Nation…" Aang said as Momo pounced up onto his shoulder. "Well, what are we waiting for? We have to see if anyone needs help!" Sokka shook off with a sudden burst of energy and courage and dashed in the direction of the battle. "Sokka! Wait up! We don't know what's going on," Katara called ahead while running after him. Momo jumped to the earth as Aang bent the air around him to help elevate himself so he could see further. He landed and called ahead, "It looks like a one-on-one fight." He easily caught up to Katara and Sokka who had taken out his club, just in case. This was the story of Aang's life-he had to stop all pain and suffering and to save the innocent. It was his job as the Avatar.

After the two Fire Benders had meditated for a while, Iroh had woken up and gotten restless from waiting. He went over and shook Zana to start a conversation. Needless to say, this disturbed Zuko from his own day dreams/meditation and there was no more peace. "Are you still up for sparring again today, or will you lose for the second time?" Zana teased as she pulled Zuko to his feet. He eyed her and returned her semi-flirtatious remark, "I am if you are…" All Iroh could do was look back and forth from boy to girl, trying to decipher what was going on. "Did I miss something?" his face contorted in confusion. They both turned away and smiled to themselves at how right Iroh was.

"Let's do this," Zana said under her breath as she and Zuko got into ready stances. His muscles rippled as his body shifted, causing a slight hitch in her breathing. Zana had to blink hard to return her focus to the task at hand. Without warning, Zuko charged first, bellowing a cry that would have frightened any other opponent, but not Zana. With a low grunt she slid out of the way of his blow and struck him on the back with her elbow. This caused Zuko to tumble forward. He proceeded to wipe his mind clear of the kiss Zana and he had shared earlier and instead had his daydreams take its place.

There was a maniacal glint in his eyes as he spun around to face her again. His teeth gritted at one fantasy: he had defeated Zana, and she was the prize… Zuko snarled as one of his jump-kicks released a powerful flame and he quickly followed with a spin aimed at her feet. She saw it coming, but didn't quite react in time and lost her balance. She had forgotten what a completely different person he was during a fight-no mercy at all. Zana hit the earth with a thud, but righted herself quickly, "You got lucky," Zana sneered, her pride scraped. "No," Zuko grunted with another flaming blow, "I just know how you fight!" He was advancing quickly on her, but was thrust backwards a few feet with a low-aimed kick from Zana. He landed back on his own feet with an aggravated growl.

"But you haven't seen me Water Bend!" Zana cried, bringing forth a column of river beside her. The column was flung forward at an incredible speed with a flick of her wrists. Zuko was able to counter quickly with a blast of his own element. The deafening _hiss_ of the opposite elements clashing could be heard from far. _But I know how to fight one…_ he thought, recalling his last battle with the Avatar's friend.

The vicious sparring kept on waging with very few attacks actually making contact until Zuko skillfully dodged one of Zana's fists and snuck in behind her. He thrust one arm around her narrow waist and the other around her already sore neck. He spoke through gritted teeth, "Do I win?" his voice was deep in her ear with male satisfaction. Zana couldn't help but freeze at the sensation of Zuko's body up against her back, but she quickly snapped into reality and clasped the bare arm around her neck. She was about to flip him over her head when there was a loud crash behind them in the forest.

"Fire Nation, we have to be quiet," Iroh stated the obvious as a crest of smoke rose above the treetops. The teens didn't move a muscle and Zana stayed in Zuko's grasp, but even he didn't know it was more a reflex of protection. They all proceeded to listen in silence.

"Look!" cried Sokka. He was able to see the battle just up ahead and across the river. "No…" said Katara, "It's Prince Zuko," she hesitated a little. It was a bit of a shock to see him again after their encounter at the North Pole. "He's got someone!" Aand yelled back at them, "We've got to help!" From their point of view, it looked as if Zuko was slowly suffocating the girl. They were both standing still, but their heads turned at the sound of Aang's voice, "Zuko, leave her alone!" The Prince refocused to them across the river, "Be quiet!" he hissed. The girl's eyes became wide with what Aang saw as terror, but it really was in recognition of Zuko's ticket into the Fire Nation.


	9. Chapter 9:Battle

(Please, those of you who read and don't review-I know you are out there because I have over 530 hits!- takke the time to send me a short review. Even if it is just one sentence, please send it to me. Thank you!) What will happen between Zuko and Zana now that he worked up the nerve to kiss her at an unexpected moment? What will Aang, Katara, and Sokka do now that they have encountered the "fighting" Zuko and Zana? Will the Fire Nation soldiers find them? READ AND REVIEW to find out!Oh, and just because I haven't done this already: I have no right to Avatar: the Last Airbender, nor to any of the characters and their likenesses. Zana, her personality, likeness, and "Fire Bending moves" (especially Kiss) are of my own creation and strictly belong to me!

Battle

Zuko willed his archenemy across the river to shut his face or they would all probably be caught by the Fire Nation troops fast approaching. They couldn't run-there wasn't enough time and Iroh couldn't keep up. He also didn't want to be seen as a coward, which just wasn't in him. He felt Zana stiffen in his arms and knew that she recognized the boldness of the Avatar. "Let her go, Zuko!" he yelled across to him. This made Zuko smile-they thought he was holding Zana hostage when they were only sparring. It annoyed him greatly how when he was not looking for the Avatar, he soared right into his grasp.

Zuko knew if he kept screaming like that, the Fire soldiers would surely find them. The Water Tribe boy scrambled across the river dumbly and not all knowing what he was getting himself into. He released Zana and moved her to the side as he prepared to silence this little band of the very Avatar and his followers. Water droplets flew everywhere as Zuko flipped the young man over his head with ease. He landed with an _oof_ and a groan on the rocky shore. Zana watched in admiration with her hands placed firmly on her hips. Her target was the Avatar. She began to ready herself for as quiet a fight as possible.

The girl came at Zuko next. She was a Water Bender, as Zana soon learned, and was a very formidable opponent for Zuko. Steam was produced as their elements clashed. The fallen Water Tribe boy righted himself and grabbed hold of Zana's arm, "Come on! I'll get you out of here!" His unexpected force and appearance knocked her off balance, causing her to stumble to the side, "What the-" The young man proceeded to pull her out of the way of the battle. The Avatar had blown Zuko into the Water Bender girl, knocking them both over.

Zana quickly recovered and yanked her arm away. The booms and clatters of the soldiers were coming nearer. They all had to shut up and at that precise moment. "What are you doing?" cried the young man. "You need to be quite, immediately!" she warned him before striking. When he began to yell out a protest, she pounced on him, causing them both to tumble in the gravel. It bit into their skin as they tossed each other around. "Are you mad?" he screamed. Zana was able to pin him, using a point on his arm, as she had Zuko earlier and she placed a firm hand across his mouth. Looking into his own blue eyes she spoke harshly to him, "The fire Nation in coming for us. If you and your friends don't _shut up_, they'll find us!" Zana hissed, becoming more and more worried for Zuko's life. If he were captured, his life would be taken in less than a blink of an eye.

Looking over her shoulder, Zana was able to see that Zuko had captured the Water Bender. His arm was around her chest and the other fist was placed to the side of her head in a threat to sear her flesh. The young Avatar looked on in horror as Zuko also warned them that they needed to quiet down, or suffer the consequences. Zana watched as the Avatar finished hovering and landed defeated to the earth. Iroh watched the whole thing from a safe distance away and now approached Zuko.

The crashing from the forest subsided as the troops retreated to another trail. Zana felt it was finally safe to let the Water Tribe boy go. She slowly released his mouth, "Are you going to be quiet?" He nodded, but winced and sat up quickly, tossing Zana to his lap, "I think you broke my arm," he whined. Zana thought he was funny, "It's not broken, merely paralyzed. I used a pressure point." She gave a nervous laugh though when she realized where she was sitting. The young man looked at her intently as she stared back. He looked to be about her and Zuko's age.

Soon, Zuko with the Water Bender in tow approached Zana and the young man. He growled and used a free hand to abruptly yank Zana up and out of the Water Tribe boy's lap. She brushed herself off and lent a hand to her fallen opponent. The boy apprehensively accepted it, glaring at Zuko holding his friend hostage. Zana looked back at him and spoke, "The Fire Soldiers have gone, let her go." Zuko hesitantly obeyed and thrust the girl forward into the Water Tribe boy's arms. The Avatar saw his chance and prepared to attack the unknowing Zuko from behind. "Stop!" Zana stepped directly into the path of his swooping attack.

The Avatar froze in mid Bend; his look was one of awe. "Why are you protecting him? Isn't he holding you hostage?" he was baffled. "No," Zana snickered, "I am with him on my own will. "But why?" the young man spoke up harshly. "Because…" she looked over at Zuko's face, "just because."

"Can we not fight anymore?" Zuko yelled. "That was too close a call for us to be found by the Fire Nation!" His arms flew in the air. "_You're_ running from the Fire Nation?" the Avatar asked. "I guess they now consider their Prince an outlaw…" Zuko trailed off. "Don't worry, Avatar, I am no longer hunting you," the words tasted bitter on his tongue. He had searched for years for the Avatar and now that he was in Zuko's clutches, there was no need for him to capture him-he couldn't return home if he wanted to. Zana's eyes grew wide. She never thought that Zuko would give up his quest. If this was true, then Zana was glad she didn't attack the Avatar.

She turned to the Avatar's stunned friends, "So! I am Zana, and you are…?" She motioned to them. "Sokka…" replied the boy first. The girl just glared back at Zana. "This is my little sister, Katara," Sokka spoke for her. "Oh, and that's Aang-" "The Avatar," Zana smiled warmly at Aang. Through all of his confusion, the boy was still able to blush.

"What is all this about?" Katara yelled at Zana. She was none too happy since being held hostage by Zuko. Her arms crossed defensively across her chest-Katara didn't like the look of this new girl. There had to be some hidden reason why she was willing to be with Prince Zuko. "How do we know that this isn't just some trap and you aren't working for him?" "Please…" Zana smiled coyly, "_Me_ work for _him_? I don't think so. I work for no one." Sokka kept staring at the girl-his feeling in his arm was finally returning. "Well, if he's not holding you hostage…and you don't work for him, then why were you and Prince Zuko fighting?" Aang asked. "We were sparring. It's to keep your fighting skills at their fullest peak. A warrior as skilled as you must surely do that, Avatar," Zana responded. He looked away and pretended to find something very interesting on his shoe.

Zana changed her focus to Sokka. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" there was a concerned look on her face as she fingered with his bicep. "N-no…I can feel it now," Sokka stuttered at her touch. "But you're palm is cut…I'll help," Zana tugged gently on his hand, leading him to the dieing fire. Zuko had replaced his tunic and watched Zana and Sokka approach, Katara and Aang following closely behind. The look Zuko gave him made Sokka nervous, like Zuko was the predator and Sokka the innocent prey. He swallowed hard.

Sokka was led to a cloak lying on the pebbled beach and Zana carefully pulled out some wrappings she obviously kept there just in case. She soon guided him near the river's lapping edge and called up a splash of water with which to wet the wrap. "No way! You're a Water Bender too! Katara is a Water Bender and we just got back from the North Pole where she trained with one of the best masters alive," Sokka boasted about his sister. Katara spoke up, "Yeah, its nothing special, but Aang and I have pretty much mastered Water Bending…" "That's great," Zana was truly pleased for the Avatar and his friend, "I have mastered Fire Bending, myself," but she couldn't help but brag a little as well. "But you're a Water Bender…" the look on Sokka's face amused Zana. "True, but I am also a Fire Bender, I am what is known as a Double Bender," she explained, sitting down and tugging Sokka along with her as he gave a little yelp.

Zana laid his hand in her lap and wrapped it. "So, you're kind of like me?" Aang asked. "I guess so…" she was concentrating. All three of the new arrivals stared at the girl with strange abilities and an even stranger choice of friends.

Zuko watched as Zana bandaged the Water Tribe boy. An overwhelming feeling crashed over him. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't like it. Zuko's teeth gritted as he spun away.

Sokka looked up at the girl wrapping his palm. He had thought about telling Zana that Katara could heal him in moments, but no one had ever doted on him like that before. "So, uh," he began under his breath so no one could hear him, "what's a pretty girl like you doing with someone like Prince Zuko?" Sokka's voice was flirtatious with a slight hinting eyebrow raise accompanying it. Without looking up, Zana scowled and yanked the ends of the cloth together in an unreasonably tight knot. He let out a little painful _yelp_. She gave a grunt and stood, "There…" Sokka stood after her, "Well?" he cocked his head to the side-he was being more persistent than his usual lazy self. She looked over her shoulder to see the Water Bender and Avatar off to the side and eyeing Iroh as well as Zuko. "Why do you trust me? I mean, you just met me, I work with Zuko-someone who has hunted your friend, and I've hurt you; you have no reason to," she sighed.

"But that was to stop the Fire Nation from finding us," Sokka stepped over to her. "You didn't intentionally hurt me. Besides, Zana, Zuko said he'd stop hunting Aang-" "But if his sister and the Fire Nation hadn't betrayed him, he would still be out there looking for you guys!" Zana interrupted with a hiss. "Yes, but he isn't…" Zana gave a low scoff and headed over to Aang and Katara.

She pasted a smile on her face and both of them jumped a little bit at the sound of her voice, "Katara, was it?" The Water Bender looked Zana in the eye, "Yes?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest. The Avatar just watched. "I wanted to invite you all to join us. We're both being tracked, so why not have some safety in numbers?" When Katara did not reply, Aang spoke up, "I guess we could," the flying lemur on his shoulder blinked across at Zana. She caught the Avatar's own eyes shift slightly to the direction Zuko was in. "Don't worry, he wont try anything," a wide smile painted itself from ear to ear on her face, "If he does, he'll have to answer to me…" Those words caused Aang to grin and even Katara's face flickered a little. Zana motioned for them to follow her back to the fire where Iroh and Zuko were staring at the flames.

Zuko looked up to see Zana approaching. Her hair and clothing were still tousled from their earlier endeavor. He thought the look was good on her. Zuko quietly shook his head to relieve his mind of such distracting thoughts. She walked over and sat down beside him and the Avatar along with his followers collapsed next to her. The Water Tribe boy leaned back on his elbows and looked Zana up and down from beneath his eyelids. Once again, Zuko felt that odd feeling inside the center of his chest. It welled up and made him want to set the boy ablaze. His fists clenched and teeth bared slightly. Zana saw his face contort and scar look meaner than ever as he glared at Sokka. She reached over and gently placed a hand on his taut forearm.

Katara looked in awe while Prince Zuko's features instantly softened when Zana's fingers grazed his arm. She finally realized why this strange girl traveled with the ruthless Prince. They cared for each other- proving that even Zuko could find some peace. Suddenly, Zuko turned away from Zana, his arms shoved across his chest. Zana did the same. Katara knew that they liked each other, but both refused to admit it. Looking around, she saw she wasn't the only one to notice. The old man beside the young Prince smiled knowingly and even the completely dense Sokka gave an exasperated sigh of defeat. Katara grinned inwardly-that girl wasn't bad at all, she was actually slowly changing a cruel and miserable Prince. _Maybe it won't be so bad getting to know Zana,_ she thought.


	10. Chapter 10:Father

I was really glad that I was able to finally bring some of the other main characters of Avatar: The Last Air Bender in! I think it makes the story more realistic, but it is a little harder to make all of the personalities true to the actual characters…let me know what you think, please! READ AND REVIEW!

Father

Several days passed by slowly as the travelers grew more accustomed to each other's presences. Zuko said hardly a word to Aang, Sokka, and Katara while Zana acted as sort of a median between the two parties.

The troop had wandered through the woods of the island trying to plan their next move. They stumbled along exhaustedly up the river. There had been an inevitable battle with a few Fire Nation soldiers out looking for them, but they had been easily defeated. The only problem was that the survivors would now report back to Azula, letting her know that her fugitive brother was still alive and was traveling with the Avatar. Since then, all of them had been walking with nary a break. The Avatar was practically sleeping on his feet. The moon cast a silver glow on all of the weary faces. Zana looked up beside her at Zuko's features. As usual, he was putting on a brave strong front, but she could see in his amber eyes how tired he was. "Why don't we rest here for tonight?" Zana spoke up. "No, we'll make better time if we keep going. It's a big island…" Zuko grunted in reply. "But everyone's so tired, Nephew," Iroh whined. Zuko rolled his eyes, "Fine, we'll camp here." With that, Sokka dropped to the gravel and was instantly snoring. Aang soon followed with his flying lemur resting on his chest. Katara snickered, but basically collapsed where she stood.

As everyone got settled, Zana and Zuko gathered enough wood for a small fire that was started in moments. When Zana sat, Zuko still stood, staring at the flames. "Sit down, you're exhausted…" she tugged gently on his hand, but it didn't take much for him to obey. As he was settled, Zana realized their hands were still entwined. Blushing, she released him. Zuko looked over at Zana's darkening features. The place on his hand she had touched was still warm. They were the only two awake amidst the rhythmic sleepy breathing.

Zuko suddenly had a flashback to the kiss they had shared only days ago. He had used a lame excuse to cover it up at the time, but how he wanted so badly to do it again. Just as Zana looked up, he looked away and into the fire. Zuko felt something gently land on his shoulder. Slowly turning his head, he could see the top of Zana's dark head resting on his arm. He could feel her breathing even out as she fell into a deep sleep. Zuko cleared his throat in confusion-he didn't want to disturb her, but he himself was tired too. He gently placed his arm around her shoulders and laid both of them back slowly. He stretched his legs out in the direction of the warming fire and softly tugged Zana's cloak around her body as she gave a small shiver.

Just as he was about to pull his arm free of Zana's body, she made a small, contented noise in the back of her throat and clutched the breast of Zuko's tunic in a white-knuckled fist. His eyes widened as her slight body curled up to the contours of his. He was able to feel everything while her body tightened against Zuko's side. Strange sensations ran up and down his spine-and he liked it. He reluctantly decided to allow the distractions to take over, just that one time.

A tiny whimper emanated from Zana. She was dreaming. Tears seeped from beneath her dark and closed lashes, causing his heart to melt for the first time in years. Zuko couldn't help but reach over and brush away the salty drops from her cheeks. She let out another miniscule cry and, without thinking, he shifted to drape his other arm across Zana's shoulders. Her body relaxed almost immediately and she buried her face in his chest-her breath warming his skin.

Zuko's eyes began to close while the fire started to die out. Zana was so warm against his body… As he began to drift off, he wondered what she had been dreaming about that upset her so badly. Even in the short time Zuko had known her, Zana was always so brave and standoffish-never giving in, but with that last thought, his eyelids fluttered to sleep.

Zana awoke before the sun. Despite the dew misted upon everything exposed, she was pleasantly comfortable. As she became more awake and her mind began to stir, she realized something heavy was laying across her waist. Zana ran her hand down her side to find a weighty hand encircling her. Startled, she quickly rolled over to come face-to-face with Zuko's sleeping features. Zana's breath caught deeply in her throat. _Did I really pass out on Zuko last night?_ She wondered. Her night had been full of fitful dreams from her childhood, until something or someone shielded her…

Zuko frowned in his sleep and tightened his hold on Zana's hips, pulling her against him. Her eyes enlarged-her raised arms were the only things keeping her separated from Zuko. Her forehead was snug in the crook of his neck, just below his chin. For a moment, Zana gave in and inhaled his strong scent of masculinity and the power of fire.

She heard a dull rustle nearby and reluctantly wriggled out of Zuko's grasp. Zana stood, stretching nonchalantly to see Katara rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Morning," Zana whispered to her across the smoldering ashes of the fire. The Water Bender rose and stepped over her grumbling brother, "Dolt…" Katara snickered as the two of them stepped over to the river to wash up.

Both coaxed small snakes of water from the flowing river. Katara grinned to herself-she had seen the way Prince Zuko treated Zana that night. Washing her face, she recalled how tenderly he had cared for Zana. It was true Zuko had a cold-hearted mean streak, but there really was a highly guarded softer side to him as well.

Katara finished washing and joined Zana watching the sunrise. The two of them had formed a sort of bond from being the only women in a hoard of men. They jokingly considered themselves to be the only actually sane ones in the traveling group-next to Momo of course.

Without turning her head, Zana spoke, "My father and I used to watch the sunrise every morning." There was a deeply pained undertone that Katara caught onto. "You and Zuko both left bad lives behind, didn't you?" Zana didn't answer right away-she wasn't feeling like explaining her past yet again, "I guess you could say that…" She wrapped her arms around herself after shrugging off her cloak.

"My mother was killed when the Fire Nation raided the South Pole Water Tribe…I haven't seen my father in years-ever since he went to fight in the War," Katara made an attempt to show how she felt for Zana's pain. Katara's words made her head turn, "My mother also passed away when I was younger." Zana smiled at her, "But you're lucky to have Sokka, I am an only child." The Water Bender giggled, "You say that now, but I've had to live with him for fourteen years!" She looked over at Zana, "Then again, I guess you've been alone longer than that, though." Zana gave a thoughtful grunt, "Nearly seventeen…" Katara was surprised. Zana looked a lot younger than she actually was-maybe fifteen, but not as old as Zuko and Sokka. Katara thought it must have been because of how tiny Zana was. It wasn't like she was waif thin, but toned as a warrior should be.

Katara decided to change the topic, "So, I'm still unclear as to why Prince Zuko has decided not to attack us for Aang any more." Zana stepped to the side and proceeded to stretch again. "First of all, Zuko is no longer a Prince. He has disowned the Fire Nation and, therefore, his own father-the Fire Lord. It was he who gave Zuko his scar," she bent backwards. Her words appalled Katara, "You mean…" "Yes, it was punishment for voicing his opinions," Zana continued, "It is a constant reminder of his 'insolence' for voicing his opinions and attempting to protect an innocent battalion of soldiers from being sacrificed in the War…Anyway, Zuko was banished and told that the only way he could return was if he brought the Avatar with him." Zana thrust her arms above her head as the sun bathed her body and heated her core while she sighed.

"Since Azula, Zuko's kid sister, attempted tricking him into coming back to the Fire Nation as a prisoner, he has decided never to go back," Zana went on, "So, I made it my business to put the rightful Crowned Prince back on the throne in place of his blood-thirsty father; therefore getting myself banished in the process of a rebellion." Katara thought Zana seemed a little too alright with the fact that she could never return home, "How do you plan on doing that?" Zana turned to her, "I guess we have to find a way to defeat the Fire Lord…"

Back a little ways downstream, at the makeshift camp: Zuko was awoken with a cold spot beside him. Either Zana had left or all he had done that night was a dream. "I miss Appa…" whined a voice nearby. Zuko sat up quickly, causing the two other boys to jump, "Jeeze!" cried Sokka. "Sorry, Zuko, did we wake you?" the Avatar asked innocently. Zuko stood without a reply-their relationship was still a little dodgy after such a long time of fighting each other.

Iroh was still snoring loudly beside him and Zuko went over and nudged his uncle with his shoe. "Uncle, it's morning," he said in a somewhat weary voice. The little group had traveled nonstop. Zuko felt that even _he_ needed a break, but he would never actually admit it aloud. True, the Avatar had offered the services of his flying bison, but the group was constantly split over where to go to get off the forsaken island crawling with Fire Nation soldiers.

"Uncle!" Zuko said a little more forcefully that time. "Let him sleep, Zuko," came a voice over his shoulder. He spun around, prepared to bite the head off of whoever dared tell him what to do, until he saw Zana. The confident look on her face showed absolutely no hint of the vulnerability she'd shown the previous night. Secretly, Zana had decided not to bring up her incident with Zuko at all so neither would be embarrassed if it were just a fluke.

"Yeah," spoke up the Water Bender, "we have made up more than enough time walking for so long. Besides, Appa is safe on the deserted side of the island and I think he's actually enjoying the time off." Zuko feigned aggravation, but gave in soon enough, "Fine, as long as it will stop all of your complaining." "Great, then I'm going back to sleep," yawned Sokka. Zuko's eyes rolled at the so-called "warrior's" laziness.

Aang stood via a gust of Bended air, "Hey, Katara, think we could practice some Water Bending while we're here?" Katara smiled, "Sure, maybe Zana could join us?" Zana turned to her, "I guess so…" Zana was a little apprehensive since she had been very sore after traveling so long and so far. Aang ran over and clutched Zana's narrow hand in his childish one and dragged her to the water's edge.

Zuko looked on as the three of them used fluid movements in unison to push, pull, and manipulate the liquid. The smile that spread across Zana's face was beaming, causing his chest to throb. He watched them for a long while, motionless, until Zana turned and called back to him, "Zuko! We never finished our match!" His eyebrows rose, "Is that a challenge?" Zuko strode over to them; his eyes alight. Zana crossed her arms on her chest. Aang and Katara just stood and watched the back and forth banter. _They sure have an odd way of showing that they like each other,_ thought the confused Katara.

All of a sudden, Zana reached back and caused a splash of water to soak the front of Zuko's tunic. It was in precisely the same place she had singed his clothing during their earlier match. "That's it," he said with a flicker of a smile, "You won't win this time." Zuko assumed the ready stance as the Avatar and Water Bender stepped back. Just as the sparring was about to begin, Iroh and Sokka walked up behind Aang and Katara-unable to sleep with all of the ruckus. There was finally a hiss as elements clashed.

Zana spun into a fiery leap, but Zuko caught her foot and she flipped backwards with a cry. Landing on her feet, she was able to recover quickly. To the onlookers, it looked more like a dance than a battle between two of the most trained warriors the Fire Nation had to offer. They would have been valuable assets to their dominating side of the War, had they not been banished. The match did not last long, however, with Zana delivering a majority of the flinching blows. That was until Zuko grabbed one of her flying arms and swung it back and up across her back. He was all riled up by then and had no intention of stopping. His other arm was hugging her waist and cupping her side tightly in a more violent way than it had when they woke up that morning. Zana gasped and flinched at the excessive force he was using on her wrist. "I win…" he breathed heavily in her ear. "Let go…Zuko…" she huffed. Her breathing was even faster paced than his: coming in raspy gulps. Her face was twisted in severe pain. "Zuko," Katara spoke up cautiously at first, "she said let go!" He scowled in reply, "Not until she gives." Zana winced in response to his harsh words growling in her ear. "Let go of her!" Aang rushed forward and pried the two apart. "You took it too far, Nephew," Iroh said from his distant position. Katara jogged over to the collapsed Zana-she was on her knees with her head down and clutched her arm.

"Come on! I wasn't pulling that hard," Zuko defended himself. "She's bleeding!" cried Katara after examining Zana's arm. He looked down at his own hand to see a burgundy film dripping from it. The sight shocked him-he didn't know how he could have broken that much skin just from putting her into an arm-hold. Zana looked up at him with tears in her eyes and glared at him. She pulled away from Katara and stormed up to Zuko, "I told you to stop!" she cried as the first tear trailed slowly down her cheek. He was nearly speechless, "I thought you weren't in any real pain…" the look in her eyes hurt him.

"Real…pain? You think I don't know any real pain?" Zana's face twisted and with a painful cry she tore off her tunic. Katara rushed to her side, "Zana, stop!" She didn't listen, though, and continued ripping off her long-sleeved undershirt, revealing her thin-strapped beneath shirt. She faced the dumbstruck Zuko as the rest of the group gasped behind her. There was no stopping the flood of salty tears plummeting from her crystal eyes. "Tell me…I don't know pain…"

Zana spun around, revealing a maze of scars that matched the gruesomeness of Zuko's. There were so many burn marks running together that it was difficult to distinguish where one ended and the other began. They ran down her outstretched arms and shoulders. There, on her forearm was where Zuko had put too much pressure on a scar and now caused crimson blood to drip steadily to the pebbles below.

"Who would…do such a thing?" Zuko's hand raised in disbelief. Zana began to sob. She hated showing any type of weakness, especially when it came to her past. "My father," she dropped to her knees again and Sokka and Aang were at either side of her immediately. "But you already know him…General Zhao…" Zuko took a step back and nearly fell in horror.


	11. Chapter 11:Heart

I AM SOOO SORRY!There was something wrong with the site (upgrades or something) and I was not able to sign on and update!Please don't hate me! Boo, hoo, but here is chapter 11 and I really hope you like it!(now for my previously planned author's note) WELL? I was hoping for a huge shocker that last chapter-wonder if I got the response I hoped for… I was really working hard to elude to Zhao being Zana's father and her scars, as in past chapters her sore scars were hinted towards and her thoughts have been interrupted when she was pondering about her past.Here's a REALLY long chapter for all of you who hunger for length in writing! Hope last chapter was a big enough surprise for all of you and keep on reading and reviewing!

Heart

_Zhao…Zana's father is General Zhao…_ Zuko knew he had heard Zana's name before somewhere. She was that ruthless bastard's daughter-his only child and a viscously trained warrior. All he was able to was stare at Zana as Sokka lightly touched her bare shoulder. With a shaky breath, Zana stood. She snatched her clothing up in her clutches, "I'm not weak…" she growled more to herself than the others around her. She proceeded to storm off away from Zuko. Katara followed in her wake, but only after delivering a glare in the ex-Prince's direction. The Avatar and Sokka went after them silently.

Soon, only Iroh and Zuko were left. Iroh cautiously made his way to his nephew's side. Zuko had his eyesight focused on the spot where bright red drops of Zana's blood had spattered on the pebbles. Whatever shock he'd felt was abruptly overshadowed by hate. There was no reason for such abuse to be exhibited on any being, let alone an innocent person. He felt so protective-a feeling he hadn't experienced before. Zuko's hands balled and face contorted. His fists produced raging flames and blackened the ground around him with a malicious cry. He turned to his uncle, teeth bared. He needed a way to attempt to explain it to himself, so he took it out on Iroh. "How could a father do such a thing?" Zuko screamed. "Have you seen your reflection?" Iroh replied somberly.

Zuko's hand unconsciously went to his eye. He had been able to cut his ties to the Fire Nation with his topknot, but he couldn't erase his painful past-it would always be with him in his scar. There was a knowing look in Iroh's face. "You knew all along, didn't you-who her father was?" he accused his uncle. Iroh sighed, "Yes, Zuko, as a General and brother to the Fire Lord, it was my business to know all of the high-ranking officers and their families. I just never actually met Zana, but knew who she was as soon as she spoke her name. I did know, however, Zhao's irrational anger towards his household," he began to examine his sleeve as a minor distraction. "If you knew about it, then why allow it?" Zuko yelled, amber eyes wide in confused fury. "It was not my place-" "Uncle, you were one of the leaders of the Fire Nation Military and you couldn't do anything to stop such abuse on the home front? The least you could have done was tell me that she was Zhao's daughter, but I guess it's inevitable that I should hurt everyone I care for!" Zuko interrupted Iroh with a cry. He quickly shoved past his uncle in the direction of the forest.

Once he could no longer see or hear the river, Zuko stopped and stood slumped against a tree. That was the most pissed off Zuko had been in such a long time. Zana didn't deserve treatment like that. Zuko didn't care what it was for; he just knew that it was terribly wrong. His heart gave a twinge at the vivid picture playing over and over behind his eyelids of Zana. Her lean back had angry purple scars tracing in every direction, from the back of her neck, beneath her shirt to her waist, and ending somewhere below her leggings at the low of her back. Spinning around, Zuko prepared to set the tree ablaze to match his mood, but thought better of it in the forest and ended up punching it instead with all of his force. His body recoiled with a jolt of pain, but he did not flinch. Zuko just watched as the blood from his split knuckles mingled with that of Zana's now burnt, dry, and caked in his palm. He clenched his fist, causing more crimson liquid to trickle out and down with gravity to his elbow.

Zuko shook his hand a little to gain more feeling back and gave an aggravated sigh as he looked up into the bright green canopy illuminated by the blinding sun. He suddenly felt tears prick the backs of his eyes. He shut them tightly to block out the sensation. Zuko knew they weren't from pain-he had obviously dealt with worse, but they were for something else… _I am getting emotional…not good…_ Zuko thought to himself. "This is stupid. I'm feeling this way over a girl I don't even care about," he scolded himself aloud until his mind reeled back to what he'd said to Iroh only moments before- "…it's inevitable that I should hurt everyone I care for." _Did I really say that?_ Zuko thought. Then, there was the way he felt around Zana and what strange feelings she released inside of him; the previous night had been…stirring and he had enjoyed just being so close to her-there was no denying it. Zuko decided all of it was just too much of a distraction at that particular moment in his life-Zana herself was too distracting. Zuko knew that he couldn't deny the feelings he had for her to himself, but he sure as hell knew he could hide them. After all, he was trained well in hiding any and all emotions over the years. He decided to apologize, but never again give into his teenage whims.

Back at the river, Zana prepared to wash her wound. Her tears had dried, but not the shame she felt from shedding them. She knew she never should have dragged all of her friends into her past; it was just too complicated… "Zana!" Katara had caught up to her, "Zana, are you alright?" She had a genuine look of concern on her face. Aang and Sokka stepped up beside them. "I'm fine," Zana trailed off, watching the trickle of blood slow to constant drips to the earth. It wasn't the first time her scars had bled from a fight, it just hurt a little more coming from an irrational and testosterone infused Zuko.

"We have had a few run-ins with Zhao as well," Sokka spoke up, obviously remembering the confrontation at the North Pole with the pained expression on his face. "Then I am very sorry for you…" Zana averted her eyes in shame at her father's well-known and malicious actions. Even when she was banished she couldn't outrun his fame. She knelt down and ran her shirt in the running water; rinsing out all of the blood. It diluted and dispersed with the current. "Let me see it," Katara said. Zana could tell that she was obviously avoiding looking at any of her other scars along her back and arms. She did as she was told and the Water Bender gently examined the break in the discolored flesh. Without looking away, Katara summoned a ribbon of river water to encircle the area on Zana's arm. The cooling felt wonderful until the liquid began to shimmer and glow. She panicked a little at the tingling sensation that soon became a burning one. Abruptly, the water melted away from her forearm and Zana went to touch the wound, but it was gone.

"How did you do that?" she exclaimed in astonishment. Zana rubbed away the remaining dried blood as Sokka responded, "Katara is able to heal with water. It is an ability unique to only certain Water Benders." Zana turned towards her healer and gave a grateful smile. All of the pain and tightness had disappeared and even the scar itself had dissolved. "You know," Katara looked her in the eyes, "I can heal all of your scars, if you want…" Zana's smile faded, "Thank you so very much for the offer, but these are all my fault and I must live with my mistakes-whether they heal or not-" "What the hell are you talking about?" Sokka yelled, "Those aren't your fault, they are Zhao's!"

"No, they are mine," Zana pointed to a thick one on her shoulder, "Tardiness-" then to one on her side, "disobedience-" and finally to a scar as wide as a hand on the back of her neck, "for voicing my opinion…" _Just like Zuko,_ thought Katara and Zana in unison, but neither said it aloud. Zana tugged her long-sleeved shirt over her head and hid any sign if scarring that was once visible. Katara realized that Zana wanted her father to love her, but she would never admit it. It was how she justified the burns to herself-that he cared enough to punish her appropriately. Though deep down, Zana was hurt from all of the abuse she had suffered throughout the years and they were unforgivable. The whole situation was twisted.

Zana turned and forced a toothy smile, "Come on, guys! I'm still Zana, scars of no scars, right?" She quickly embraced Katara and gave another thanks for the offer. She then went over to the still silent Aang and hugged him as well. Sokka was next and she threw her arms around his neck as she stretched on the tips of her toes. "Thank you for trying to protect me…it's been so long since I've had friends," Zana said into his ear. Sokka's body suddenly went rigid, "I…uh…don't think _he_ sees it that way." She let go of him and turned to see Zuko approaching from the direction of the woods near their camp. She instinctively wrapped her arms around her waist-but why, she did not know. "I need to speak to Zana," Zuko dismissed the others, though his eyes never left hers. Zana motioned for the others to go and they reluctantly obeyed.

As they trudged, Aang's mind reeled. He hadn't been able to speak since he had seen Zana's scars. He just couldn't comprehend how one Nation could exhibit so much cruelty. Once again, Aang felt he had been gone and frozen for way too long and that if hadn't run away, so much pain and suffering could have been prevented. Now that he was back, though, he would never allow such things to happen again.

Zuko watched the receding backs of the Avatar and siblings. Tilting her head, Zana was able to catch Zuko's amber eyes. He unconsciously drifted to the spot where he had hurt her. "I'm fine now. Katara healed it…" she also focused on the damp spot of her shirt, "It never should have happened," Zana spoke as she slipped on her dark tunic and lashed it. "I know…" Zuko stuttered-he still wasn't any good at apologies, "I shouldn't have-" "No, it's my fault," Zana interrupted, "I never should have challenged you again. At least not while I was sore." Those words shocked him. He didn't expect Zana to take the blame. "But now I am all better, so can we pretend it never happened?" she began to ramble. Zuko heard none of it and tugged her into his arms.

It was an impulsive move, but he knew she needed it. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" he grumbled quietly. Zana was instantly silent as her body tensed then relaxed. Zuko's arm held her softly across her shoulders while the other was buried in her hair, holding her against him with her head in the crook beneath his chin. She felt just as she had earlier that morning when she woke up-safe and warm. Zana gave a little muffled noise as she attempted talking into his chest. Zuko abruptly quieted her, "Look, this most likely won't happen again, so enjoy it while it lasts…"he half joked. His deep voice buzzed against Zana's cheek. She gave in and wrapped her slender arms around his waist. They stood there embracing each other and Zuko slowly shifted his head so he was able to press his lips against the top of her head. He couldn't help it-there was no stopping what he wanted to do at that point anyway, but it was obvious Zana needed consolation-even if she didn't voice it.

Her eyes sprang open at Zuko's touch on the top of her head. If she wasn't mistaken, then he had kissed her gently. At that moment, Zana knew their earlier kiss hadn't been a ploy to get her to shut up-not that she was dense enough to believe the lame excuse Zuko gave her, and that she was not only imagining that he had held her that previous night. How she loved that sensation… She could tell he'd changed so much since they had first met. For one, he seemed to actually trust her now and he wasn't nearly as violent. He was slowly but surely becoming the Prince who should be on the Fire Nation throne and Zana felt that there might be some salvation for the struck-down young man, yet.

Zuko released her and Zana's arms reluctantly slipped from his back. "I am so sorry," he almost whispered the apologetic words. She snapped back to reality, "But I-" "No, not just for hurting you," he interrupted, "but for everything-the way I mistreated you when I had no reason to, the way I was a poor sport about losing-" Zuko thought about apologizing for spying on her while she was bathing in the river, but he felt enough was enough and he didn't want to dig himself deeper. "All of which are inexcusable, but I hope you can forgive me…" Zana gave a wide grin and threw her arms around Zuko's neck enthusiastically, "There is nothing to be sorry for, but I forgive you." He had moved in leaps and bounds in the short time they had known each other and she highly commended that. He cleared his throat and she released him. Zuko's face quickly melted back to its usual somber expression and they made their way back to the others.

Aang, Katara, and Sokka stood with Zuko's Uncle Iroh, watching the interaction between the far off teens. As Zuko pulled Zana into an embrace, Iroh spoke, "She's such a good person. It truly is a shame who her father is, though…" Aang turned to him, "We have also been running from Zhao and we even had an encounter back up at the North Pole," he, as Sokka had, recalled the tragedy involving the Moon Spirit. "Yes: a brutal fighter with an even worse temper. A potentially deadly combination-much like Zuko before Zana came along," a smile played on Iroh's lips, "Come to think of it, the two of them could cause a lot of damage to the Fire Nation from the inside out if they just worked together." The old man kept watching his nephew thoughtfully before turning away.

The others soon followed, but Katara's mind spun-Zuko actually had a heart, and it was focused on Zana. No matter how much he denied it and thought he was concealing it well, there really was no hiding his feelings. The banished Prince who had nearly killed them on more than one occasion wasn't naturally a mean person; she knew that from her conversations with Zana, but he tried to keep his emotions heavily guarded inside of him. It was so he wouldn't get hurt again-emotionally or physically. Zuko needed to learn, however, that if he allowed his guard to drop once in a while, he might just be able to find what he was subconsciously searching for.

Zana and Zuko returned to the group a respectable distance from each other, not realizing that their small interaction had been watched. Aang grinned in greeting, "Hey, guys! Everything work out?" Zana gave a little nod in reply and only that because she didn't want to embarrass Zuko by bringing up his prior actions. Zuko hid his right hand behind hid back. The bleeding had stopped, but there was a large pattern of gashes instead. He didn't want there to be a big fuss over absolutely nothing. Sokka looked over at Zana, "So, General Zhao's your father?" Katara's eyes grew wide and she leaned over and slugged her older brother in the arm to make him shut up. He let out a pitiful whimper. "No, no it's fine," Zana spoke, sitting near the others. She got comfortable, splaying out her legs in front of her and leaning back on her elbows. "Yeah, he is. I just feel bad that all of you have had to suffer through him as well." Zuko sat down also, "I just can't imagine having to grow up with something like that." "At least I got to escape to the Fire Nation Training Academy for Girls for a few years. I actually got to meet Azula there…" Zana was talking more to Zuko than anyone else. His expression twisted to disgust, "You did?" "Yes, not to mention she was a pretty skilled fighter for her age. We were actually paired up back at the Academy-Azula had beaten every one of the younger students, so she began facing the upper class ones. Needless to say, I was the only one to defeat her and I was the first and only student to leave either of the Academies with a flawless record… Come to think of it, even you lost a scrimmage with a Master when you went to the Boys' Academy," Zana smiled coyly.

Zuko rolled his eyes. He, as Prince, had lost but one match and even Zana knew about it. If she had been so famous at the Academies, then why hadn't he met her before? It must have been where he heard Zana's name, though. What was even better was she had faced Azula and that meant he was not the only one who knew his little sister's techniques. That could have been used to their advantage if they were ever forced to face her in the future.

Suddenly, Sokka's stomach growled so loud they could hear it clear across the fire. He groaned and held his gut, "Oh man! We haven't eaten yet! I'm starving…" Zana giggled in response. "Fine, Sokka. We'll get you some food," Katara spoke up begrudgingly. She and Aang stood and made their way to the forest-they were all tired of having fish day after day. Soon, only Sokka, Zuko, Zana, and Iroh were left. The Double Bender righted herself, "I'd better get the fire going again." "I'll help," Zuko began to stand. "No, Sokka can help. He needs to get his mind off of his stomach anyway," Zana smiled and Zuko sat back down. A small scowl was plastered on his face. "But-" Sokka began to protest, but he didn't really have time as Zana was not listening and she tugged him to a standing position. Both figures soon disappeared into the glimmering woods.

"You care for her, Zuko," Iroh spoke over to his nephew. Zuko turned to him, ready to make an aggressive come back, but he truly was too tired of denying it. There was definitely something he felt for Zana. It could have been just a physical attraction; being a teenage boy with hardly a girl in sight that he would just latch onto the nearest moving thing with a differing anatomy from his, but he somehow felt it was more. If the first theory was true, then he would have felt something long ago for the Avatar's companion, Katara-even though they had been sworn enemies.

All Zuko was able to do was lay back on the beach and give an angry sigh in response to his Uncle's remark. "You know," Iroh began again, "there is absolutely no shame in emotions. They aren't a form of weakness, when shown correctly. Besides, I think she likes you too-why else would she be helping us so much?" His Uncle grinned a mischievous smile. Zuko gave a deep scoff, stood,and began to wander away from Iroh.

He pivoted and stared out into the glittering river. _What if Uncle is right? What if Zana really does have feelings for me as well?_ Zuko questioned himself. He looked down and glared back at his reflection. _There's no way she could care for me…_ The scar surrounding his golden eye caused his face to look far older than it actually was. Zuko heard laughter behind him. Over his shoulder, he was able to see Zana and Sokka returning with mounds of dry kindling in their arms. "Sokka, come on!" Zana snickered. He was such a child sometimes. His pile was a third of the size of hers and yet he had complained all the way back to the campsite. Zuko made his way over to the stack that they had made.

The Water Tribe boy had already collapsed in a groaning heap nearby. Zuko's brows raised in the humor of Sokka's laziness. Zana looked up from her work at the ex-Prince. They locked sight, but she quickly turned away and lit the fire in a matter of seconds. It was already a bit past midday and none of them had eaten anything yet. Sokka lay there clutching his stomach as if he were going to perish right then and there. "Such drama…" Zana whined playfully. Zuko smiled slightly in response, "I agree." Iroh watched Zana and Zuko's conversation. He was glad he had spoken up about the things he had seen in his Nephew. He knew it would be good for Zuko if he followed his heart instead if his temper for once.

Within moments of Zana and Sokka's return, there was an excited noise emanating from the forest. Soon, out sprang the Avatar and Katara followed slowly behind him. "Hey! Look what we found!" Aang yelled over to them. His pace increased and he held out his robes to reveal the plentiful amount of fruits and berries collected as if in an apron. Sokka suddenly sat up, rejuvenated by the very notion of food. Momo, the flying lemur reached down from his perch atop Aang's shoulder and snatched up a few berries for himself before the ravenous Sokka could get a hold of them all. "Food!" the young man cried and gobbled up nearly everything the Avatar had in his robes.

Aang gave an appalled look at the vast amount his friend was consuming. "Cool down, Sokka. It's all we were able to find," Katara had walked up behind Aang. She too had her clothing pulled up in a makeshift basket to carry the fruits and berries she had been able to collect. She looked over at Zana and shot her a questioning look as if to ask if she really were all right. Zana smiled and gave a little nod in response, assuring her friend. Zuko saw none f it, he was too distracted by the disgusting sight between Sokka and the fruit.

Zana went over and laid out her cloak on the uneven beach so Katara couldrelieveher load and Aang could do so with whatever was left after Sokka finished gorging. "Thanks," Katara said. "Welcome," Zana replied. Iroh made his way over to the two girls, "So, what have we here?" He began eyeing the colorful spread. Zana picked out two large papayas and some bright red berries and walked back over to Zuko. He had finally recovered from the sight of Sokka demolishing the fruit and the stuffed boy had laid himself out to digest. Zuko looked up at her. She caught his eye and tossed him one of the fruits she carried in her hands. He caught it easily enough and just watched Zana as she plopped down beside him and proceeded to peel her food. She popped one of the berries into her mouth and continued her work with a very serious expression on her face.

Zuko smiled and kept on staring. Zana looked up-she had felt his gaze set solely on her, "What?" she gave a little nervous laugh. He had been caught, "Oh…uh…nothing." Zana frowned, "Do I have something on my face?" her hand self-consciously went to her cheek. Zuko reached over and brushed her hand away, "No, it's just you looked so funny-" "Funny? Funny how?" Zana sounded a bit offended. "Not like that…I mean," Zuko stuttered, "just so serious." Zuko playfully mimicked her expression. She gave a giggle, "Yeah, I tend to do that." Her eyes matched the smile on her face. No one had looked at him that way before… _Could she actually have feelings for me?_ Zuko asked himself. He quickly looked away and concentrated on his own fruit.

Zuko had actually made a small joke in Zana's opinion. She knew she had a tendency to take things, like the smallest tasks for instance, very seriously and Zuko had noticed. Not only had he seen it, but he had made a joke… It was mildly shocking. Zana looked over at him. Zuko was focused and he finished peeling quickly and with ease. Taking a bite of the bright orange fruit, he turned to Zana. "You all right?" one of his eyebrows rose quizzically. "Oh…yeah!" she smiled and readjusted her vision on her own papaya.

From across the fire, Katara tossed in another couple of sticks and watched as they caught. "Katara?" Aang whispered so no one else could hear through their own conversations. "Huh?" she replied, equally as quiet. "Well, I think we really need to decide on what we are going to do for our next move. I mean, Zuko, Iroh, and Zana are part of the group now and I think we have to make the decision as a whole. Zana I have no problem asking, but I am still not so comfortable around Zuko-not that I'm a coward or anything-" "Don't worry, I'll talk to Zana tomorrow and then she'll talk to Zuko," she said, knowing full well how hard it was for Aang to admit that he needed help when he should be the one saving the world. Katara gave him a warm smile and turned back to the flames.

The conversation slowed as the sun began to set beyond the horizon. The tops of the trees were lit on fire with brilliant colors and the constantly flowing river glittered like a gem in the twilight. Sokka had long since passed out from the large amount of food he had consumed and the others were growing weary. Though they had all rested well that day, it did not fully make up for the days of non-stop travel they had endured. Aang spoke up with a wide yawn, "Guess we're staying here for the night again." Zana looked over at the Avatar. He was so full of energy and life that she sometimes forgot he was still just a kid. That was exactly what Aang looked like to her-a boy just begging on the inside to sleep, but not wanting to seem infantile to the older travelers. Zana also yawned back in an agreeing reply.

Without looking up from the crackling fire, Zuko spoke, "We have been very careless lately and no one has stayed up to keep watch." The others locked eyes-they hadn't really thought about it. Every one of those nights they could have been found and not known what had happened. "We'll take shifts throughout the night," Zuko continued, "I can go first. I'm not tired." Zana turned to him, "Then I can go. Iroh-" she was about to ask Iroh if he felt rested enough to have a turn keeping watch, but the old man was already sound asleep nearby. Zana stifled a smile. Katara spoke up, "I can do the next shift, then Aang. I wouldn't bother trying to wake Sokka-he'll be of no use even if we are able to wake him. He'll probably just fall asleep on duity," she motioned to her snoring brother. "Then it's settled!" Aang said cheerfully before laying back and closing his eyes. Katara soon did the same.

Zana turned to start a conversation with Zuko-she wasn't really that tired anyway, but he was gone. Looking up, she saw his receding back headed towards the river. The last rays of light were retreating over the treetops and they cast a warm glow over his now sitting frame. Zana decided to lay her head back and she just watched as Zuko's body didn't move. She sighed deeply while the darkness began to slowly set in. Zuko's frame slowly began to relax and his shoulders slumped. She knew that if he thought that anyone was awake, Zuko wouldn't even think of letting his guard slip; even that slight amount. Zana sat up as quietly as she could and made her way over to him.

Zuko stared silently at the river's current. The water lapped inches from his feet and, in an odd way, it calmed him. He was startled by a small noise beside him as Zana appeared at his side. "W-what are you doing awake?" he stuttered a bit and sat up as straight as he could. "I just thought you looked lonely and needed some company," she gave him a warm smile. Zuko averted his gaze to the deep violet sky. The moon was beginning to peek through a few blue-tinted clouds that had gathered with the twilight. "This may seem random, but do you get that…you know…_high_ from the moon like a Water Bender as it is with the sun and Fire Benders?" he couldn't help but ask-he was curious to learn more about Zana. Zuko turned to her and waited for a response. Zana returned the look, "I guess you could call it that. It is a pretty similar feeling-that surge you feel like there is nothing that could possibly be stronger or better than you. No Non-Benders can even begin to comprehend it." Zana's legs stretched out in front of her and she placed her palms flat behind her back.

Just as the moon cleared the clouds, the curve of her spine became more defined as it arched a little with the "high" of her element. Zuko couldn't help but stare as the silver light illuminated her fair features and every outline of her body. His breath caught in his throat as a different side of him started to show through. Zana was beautiful and, by the Spirits, he wanted to kiss her so badly it was painful…


	12. Chapter 12:First

Hmmmm…the plot thickens! YAY, well, I hope that last chapter was long enough for all of you and I hope this one is just as good! It's so nice to have such great reviewers. Enjoy and I promise that there are plenty more chapters where these are coming from! Keep on reading and reviewing!

First

As Zuko stared at Zana's frame, he was no longer thinking about the pact he had made for himself. He was not even thinking with his head any longer, more so with several other parts of his anatomy. Her eyes were lightly closed as she enjoyed the moon's beams and Zuko could no longer take it. He carefully reached over with his hand and slowly turned her face to his. Zana's eyes opened seconds before Zuko's lips met hers. She inhaled a quick breath through her nose, as her mouth was already preoccupied. His features were so cool and soft in the near complete darkness.

His actions shocked Zana and she nearly pulled away in surprise. Zuko's lips were so soft on hers and his kiss was the most tender thing Zana had ever felt. When Zuko pulled away, Zana couldn't help but gasp a little. "Wh-what was-" she was unable to finish. _Something I've wanted to do…_ Zuko thought of saying, but replied instead with an, "I…don't know." A blush crept to both their cheeks. Zuko began to think he had made a mistake until Zana smiled. She reached over and placed a palm on the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her. It was Zuko's turn to be shocked-Zana lightly closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his, slightly parted. A hot feeling of molten liquid poured down Zana and Zuko's spines.

He couldn't take it any more and deepened the kiss. Zuko placed a hand on her upper-thigh and pressed their lips together harder. He was fueled by the pure fact that Zana did indeed like him as well. It was such a wonderful and fulfilling feeling, being cared for, and he never wanted it to end.

Zana was enjoying it as much as Zuko was. She had been refusing her emotions by telling herself that all she wanted was for Zuko to be back on the throne for the Fire Nation. That she was just a silly girl with a crush on a young man who was destined for so much more than banishment. Zana's breath was heavy in her chest as Zuko parted her lips further with his own. His hands caressed her cheeks and the low of her back. Just as he was about to make the kiss go further, there was a muffled noise behind them coming from the fire. The two quickly pulled away from each other reluctantly with gasps. They each caught their breath as they stared out into the swiftly moving river as if nothing had happened between them. Turning around nonchalantly, Zana could see that all of their companions were still asleep, but Sokka was talking in his sleep again.

She turned back to Zuko and couldn't hide her laughter. Her cheeks warmed as he returned it with one of his own rare chuckles. He stretched out his arm and gently pulled her head to his shoulder. Zuko tenderly planted a tiny kiss on her forehead as she rested her weary mind on his arm. He wasrunning onlyon impulse at that moment. Zuko didn't care anymore-he was so sick of hiding the way he felt. It made it all the better that Zana reciprocated his emotions. Her breath was warm on his shoulder, "Not again," she feigned annoyance, "I'll fall asleep." Zuko slipped a heavy arm around her narrow shoulders while he reached over and snatched up Zana's cloak. "I don't mind," he whispered softly as he draped the clothing around her body.

Zana gave a smile at the small and thoughtful gesture he had exhibited. She curled up against the warmth of his body and her eyelids fluttered. Zana attempted fighting sleep so she wouldn't seem like a child to Zuko, but her resistance was futile-she was just too worn out. Zana's eyelids were heavy and they slid shut without further protestation.

The next thing she knew, she awoke in the early morning to Zuko's warm and sleeping breath ruffling the hair draping across her face. Sitting up, Zana realized that they were no longer near the river and instead were close to the flickering fire. The last thing she did remembered was falling asleep, yet again, on top of Zuko. She rolled over to face him and his eyes were still sealed shut in the coma of a deep sleep. Zana's face flushed deeply as she remembered the kiss they had shared the night before. It had been nothing like their first kiss where Zuko had used a lame excuse to get close to her, but it was something much more. _Technically, that one was our first real kiss…_Zana gently grazed her fingers across her slightly swollen lips and traced the places where Zuko had touched her. There was an air about him that felt of change. He was so different after just expressing himself once.

Smiling to herself, Zana untangled her arms from Zuko's heavy body. She carefully unwound his hand from her side and stood. Nearby, Aang was sitting cross-legged and keeping watch. The Avatar was obviously exhausted and she scolded herself as it was from her not taking her shift last night. Zana shuffled over to him, "Aang…Aang, you can go back to sleep. I'll keep watch until everyone else wakes up." Without a fuss, he got up and trudged back over to the sleeping Momo and collapsed in dreams. She plopped down with her legs folded neatly beneath her, replaced her cloak around her shoulders, and awaited the sunrise.

Zuko finally began to stir. He squeezed his eyes tightly closed to block out the morning. He willed his dreams not to end. They had been so comforting and pleasing-not to mention about Zana.

That night, Zuko had finished his watch shift and decided not to wake Zana. He had gently slid his arms beneath her legs and back and carried her over to the fire. Katara had woken with a groan as he nudged her for her watch. Without a word, he had carefully laid Zana down and then himself beside her. Once again, she had instantly curled up against him, but that second time, he didn't mind it so much. She was pinning his arm beneath her side and he made the best of it by wrapping it around her slender waist. Allowing his eyes to close, Zuko relived their kiss. Her lips had been so soft and toyed with the side of him he had tried his best to hide-the side that wanted Zana so badly. That damn Sokka had interrupted them and caused the two teens to be startled. As he remembered that, he scowled. He had just been about to deepen their kiss when that Water Tribe boy had to talk in his sleep at that precise moment. Secretly, Zuko couldn't wait to do it again, and now that he knew Zana liked him as well; it made it all the more pleasurable.

Zuko sat up quietly, trying not to disturb his nearby Uncle. The other three travelers were still sound asleep and even Aang had passed out again. _He should be on watch_ Zuko grumbled to himself. Looking around, he was able to spot Zana near the spot they had shared their kiss last night. His heart skipped a beat at the mere sight of her curving back-oh, how he longed to touch her again.

He slowly made his way over to Zana. Stepping up behind her, he bent low and nearly pressed his lips to her ear, "What are you doing awake?" Zuko's husky voice sent chills up and down her spine. She gave a pleased smile and turned to face his voice and was instead met with Zuko's lips on her own. It was a quick peck, but just the brief contact of his lips closing around hers made her body temperature involuntarily rise. Zuko noticed, "Happen often?" he snickered as he sat down beside her. His lips were still hot from where he had touched her. Zana blushed and turned to look out at the river, not knowing what to say. "There's nothing wrong with it, it's just hot-literally," he had made another joke and grinned. Zana laughed in response. She leaned over to him, "So, why do you like me, I mean, after disliking me so strongly in the beginning?" He looked her in the eye, "I could ask you something similar…" His amber eyes searched hers for an answer. She averted her gaze and slid her hand over to grasp his. It was nearly two-times the size of her own and yet she held it with ease. Zana's soft thumb caressed his knuckles until it froze when it found his self-inflicted gashes. She inhaled sharply and brought Zuko's hand to her view. "What happened?" she exclaimed in a genuinely worried voice.

Zuko yanked his hand back and hid it beneath its twin. "Nothing," his face froze to its trademark scowl. Any closeness that they had gained had melted away as quickly as his expression had. "But…you're hurt," she searched his eyes. He abruptly closed them tightly with a deep sigh, "I'm sorry, I just…obviously don't know how to react when someone worries about me." He flashed her an apologetic smile-besides, Zana was only trying to help. She slowly reached over and tugged on his bicep. He reluctantly gave her his mildly injured hand and she caressed it with her own. Zana brought it to her lips and allowed them to graze the wounds. Her touch tingled up and down his extremity, causing a little shiver of pleasure to course throughout his being. She really did care about him…

Zana looked up into Zuko's face. He was too busy staring at her hands encircling his that he didn't notice she was gazing at him. She gave a smile. Zuko's face finally looked its age and the teenager seemed like an actual youth. His fiery scar softened slightly while his features relaxed: slowly but surely. Zana knew that what she was beginning to feel for Zuko was not only a physical attraction, but more of an emotional connection as well. She was probably one of the few people in the world who knew how kind he could be when he allowed his guard to drop.

Back at the fire, the other travelers of the group started to stir. Iroh sat up with a groan. He missed his soft bed back at the village and on the ship. He wiped his eyes and ran his fists up and down his creaky spine. He looked all around for his nephew to finally find him near the river's edge. As Iroh had expected, Zana was with him as well. She had Zuko's hand in her own and was caressing it lovingly. He smiled; he knew Zuko had finally expressed the feelings he had on the inside to Zana. Maybe, in the near future, Zuko would finally be able to have the life Iroh had always wished for him to have. Iroh cleared his throat and called over to Zuko, "Nephew, I think you can stop keeping watch. It is morning after all." He saw Zana abruptly pull her hands away from Zuko's at the sound of Iroh's voice. That made him grin; _I'll let them tell us in their own time…_

Zuko jumped a little at the shrill sound of Iroh's morning voice. He stood and reached down to help Zana to her own feet. Together they made their way back over to the fire. She stopped and added more sticks to the blaze. Sokka sat up still in the haze of a dream and mumbled something about food before dropping back to the ground. Katara was next awake and she helped pull Aang to his feet. Momo bounded off of Aang's chest and leapt to Zana's shoulder. She gave a startled smile, as the flying lemur had never done such a thing before. He nuzzled the nape of her neck, causing her to let out a ticklish giggle. Zuko watched on and made his way over to Zana and Momo. "Hey, there," he shot her a flirtatious look, "that's mine." The lemur seemed to take the hint and jumped from Zana's shoulder to Sokka's stomach. He gave an _oof_ as Momo knocked some of the wind out of his previously sleeping body.

Zana looked shocked at Zuko's words. _Did he really say that?_ she was baffled. She couldn't believe he had said something so bold to her, especially since it was so very out of character for him. When no one was looking, Zuko reached over and repeated Momo's actions to her neck. It felt so good that it sent more chills up and down her spine. She wondered what had caused such a drastic change in Zuko's behavior as of late. "What has gotten into you?" she hissed with a playful smile. He shrugged, "Someone made me realize that I had to show what I really felt inside, and that's exactly what I am doing." "Well, you might want to cool down a bit if you don't want the others to know," Zana spoke up as quietly as she could so Sokka, Aang, Katara, and Iroh couldn't hear. He gave a thoughtful look, "I guess you're right…"

Zana began to walk away, but turned over her shoulder to blow him a minute kiss before heading over to Katara's side. Zuko thought it ironic how, coming from Zana, the gesture could be flirtatious and loving or threatening and deadly like her Fire Bending move. The whole idea made something foreign stir inside of him and that feeling only made him want more of Zana.

Katara looked over to see Zana approaching. She had a huge grin plastered upon her face. "What has got you so happy?" Zana gave a _huh?_-she didn't realize that she was smiling so noticeably. It was morning and already the sun was heating the earth. Zana slipped off her cloak and allowed it to flutter to the pebbles. "Is there something that I missed?" Katara was still confused. "Uh…no, why?" Zana responded with out looking up. "You just seem so cheerful, even after yesterday's events, that's all." "Really? I don't feel like I am acting any different. It just seems like it's going to be a good day," Zana said. "Ok, then. Suit yourself…" Katara trailed off, refocusing on the river and washing her face. Zana mimicked her motions and soon both of them were alive enough to rejoin the rest of the troop.

As they walked back to the fire, Katara turned her gaze over to Zana. She remembered her promise to Aang and told herself that she would bring it up as soon as possible. Sokka greeted the two approaching females, "So, what's for breakfast today?" Zana elicited a humor-filled groan, "Does he ever stop thinking about food?" "I don't think he ever has. I pity his future wife," laughed Katara. "Hey! I heard that!" Sokka yelled over at his little sister. Even through the banter, Zana could tell the two of them cared for each other, as all siblings should.

Iroh looked alive, "Why don't we all go out and look for breakfast. I think my old bones have had enough of a break." "Sure," Zuko began as he rose to his feet. "No, Nephew. I think you should stay here. We need someone to watch the fire-oh, and Zana you stay here too. Just in case there are Fire Nation soldiers nearby," he smiled at the young woman. "I want my nephew to be in the best of hands," little did they know he had meant it in more than one way. "Yes, Sir," Zana playfully mocked with a small salute.

Sitting himself back down, Zuko shot his uncle a glare. He knew he was up to something. Soon enough, the meal-party was gone into the woods. There was a small amount of silence until Zana spoke, "I think your Uncle's smarter than you give him credit for." She grinned and sat beside Zuko. All he did was stare into the flames and manipulate a few stray ones with flicks of his fingers. Zana frowned a little when Zuko did not talk, _How can he be so hot one minute and so cold the next?_ She didn't understand why, if he indeed liked her so much, then why didn't he truly admit it.

"He's sneaky and I don't like it…" Zuko grumbled as he created a small living ball of fire. "Well, what's wrong with that? All he's trying to do is get us together…and if you truly care for me as your actions say you do, then it shouldn't matter what others think. Should it?" Zana looked hopefully to catch his eye. Zuko thought about it and quickly extinguished his flame in his closed hand, "True…but I am just sick of him always being in my business." Zuko suddenly stood. "He only wants what is best for you, Zuko," Zana spoke up to him. He pivoted to face her, "Well, are you what's best for me, Zana?" he had said it louder than he had intended to. Only after he had said that did Zuko realize the impact of his words. Technically, only hours before he had professed his feelings to Zana-in his own way of course and with that last sentence he had potentially ruined everything.

Zana didn't move. She was completely frozen. She and Zuko had known each other for mere days, fought almost constantly, he had kissed her more than once, and now she thought he was second-guessing his actions and choices. His actions were so erratic that it caused a swell of dark confusion to cloud Zana's jugment. She scowled and stood up. Shoving a pointed finger to Zuko's chest, she spoke, "Look, Iroh cares about you and you are indeed old enough to make your own choices, but I wasn't the one to go around kissing Zana!" At that point she didn't really care if she referred to herself by her own name. "If you want to toy with other peoples' emotions, I could care less, but leave me out of it." Zuko's face stayed stone, "So, you don't think you are the best thing for me?" there was a sly tone to his voice. Zana gave an exasperated eye roll, "I…just don't know. For such a long time all I wanted to do was get you back on the throne, but now…" she was unable to finish. Zana wanted so badly to say that she was the best thing for Zuko, but it was too difficult to say aloud. The poor girl had practically worshiped him and would have done anything for him back while she was still a part of the Fire Nation, but with both of them banished, the circumstanced had definitely shifted.

Gently, Zuko reached over and caressed Zana's cheek. She looked up at him, her eyes expressing every jumbled emotion she felt inside. Much hadn't happened between them, but his coldness hurt nonetheless. Zuko's gaze locked on her icy one, "Say whatever you want. Nothing will hurt me." Zana gave a sad smile; the look on Zuko's face was actually a vulnerable one. "Zuko…I care deeply for you, but I shouldn't be the one to judge what is or is not good for you…" Zana had been correct and he agreed with her all of the way. After that, Zuko bent down and softly covered Zana's lips with his own. He seemed to be getting in a lot of practice with that lately. Her eyes slid shut and she gave into the embrace-forgetting every angry emotion she had felt only moments before…an excellent kisser had a tendency to do that.

Zuko released her and grasped Zana's hand in his, "Come on…I want you to show me that Fire Bending move." As she was dragged along, her expression melted to one of happiness. That was the Zuko she wanted around all of the time. "Who says that I am willing to teach you?" there was a suggestive lilt to her tone, causing her eyebrows to rise. Zuko stopped at the lapping bank of the river and turned over his shoulder at her, "Well, I can't have a _girl_ being better at Fire Bending than me, now can I?" Zuko shot her a playful smile. Zana obviously faked a hurt expression, "I guess you are just going to have to get used to that while I am around!" Zuko gave an exaggerated pout, his lower lip protruding pitifully, smiling like a spoiled child. Zana let out a laugh-he truly had changed so much for the better. "Fine then! You really are a spoiled, rotten Prince. And I never believed the rumors…" she joked while she positioned herself behind him.

"Here, now, this move is all bout breath strength. You have obviously mastered the breath _control_ with your average Fire Bending moves, but this takes a little more concentration," Zana began to instruct Zuko. The young man attempted imitating her previous stance, but she quickly corrected him, "No, like this. You feet need to be a bit further apart." Using her foot, she gently kicked his legs out so they were slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Zana wrapped her arms around his body to help guide him through the motions, but the height difference made it difficult. She curled her hands around Zuko's wrists and spoke to him, "Now inhale deeply and hold it in." His chest puffed up slightly as he followed her instructions carefully. Zana slowly guided his arm above his head and had it touch the other outstretched one. "Make a flame…" she willed him. Zuko did as he was told and a flicker was produced in between his palms. Mimicking her moves, he brought the fire to his lips, "Now focus your breath!" Zana commanded. Zuko's face relaxed as her forcefully pushed the air from his lungs onto the dancing flame hovering above his hand.

The more air Zuko released, the larger the blaze got until it was nearly his own size, but it was nowhere near as large as Zana's had been. He soon ran out of his store and the burst subsided. Zana let go of Zuko's arms and stepped back to view the pleased look on his face more easily. His grin soon became a familiar smirk, "I knew I could do it." Zana grinned back, "Oh, really? You probably would have burned yourself again if I hadn't been there to guide you." Zuko's face remained unchanging. Zana walked over to him and held her hand up. She slowly reached forward and her fingertips grazed the wide scar surrounding his glowing eye. He scowled and flinched, averting that particular side of his face.

Zana wasn't giving up that easily and she used her palm to gently turn his head back towards her and caressed the burn. She had done a similar motion when she had wanted to see his injured fist and he wouldn't allow her to. Zuko closed his eyes-she was the first one he had allowed to touch him since the healers back in the Palace nearly three, long years ago. "I was there, you know…" Zuko's eyes sprang open at her whispered words. "What-" "At the Angi Kai between you and the Fire Lord," he noticed how she hadn't referred to him as his father, but by his title, "my father forced me to go. He said it would be good for me 'to see what happened when insubordinate whelps had a mind of their own and disrespected their elders'." Zana's own eyes were sad as her fingers softly traced the ragged outline of Zuko's seared flesh.

He reached up his hand and pulled her fingers away from his face and held them in his own. Zuko hated seeing her unhappy because of him. "You were hurt just as, if not worse, than I was…" he motioned to her marks creating a gruesome pattern all over her body. "But mine can be hidden, yours cannot," Zana stared back at him. "True, but while most outter scars may be concealed, it is the inner ones we suffer from the most..." Zuko whispered-sounding exactly like Iroh-and seemingly hinted to their mutual hatred of their sires. The young man had had such a hard life, barely had a childhood with all of his preparation for becoming Fire Lord, and all he really needed was someone to care for him. Deep down, Zana hoped it was her.

There was an abrupt crashing noise coming from the nearby trees and both their heads turned towards the disturbing sound. It was soon followed by an aggravated squeal that was easily traced back to Sokka's voice. Zana and Zuko stepped away from each other. They smiled in greeting to the approaching party.

Katara smiled back to Zana. The girl looked so happy standing next to Zuko and it made her wonder if something had indeed happened while they were gone finding food. Aang called up to Katara and she looked over her shoulder at him, "Hey, Katara! Look what I can do!" The Air Bender skillfully juggled eight fruit as Momo occasionally threw another into the mix. "That's really cool, Aang," she smiled and praised him. She looked down, "Sokka…would you get up already? It wasn't that bad of a trip." Her older brother gave an exaggerated groan as he stood. Luckily, he wasn't carrying any of the food they had found, or it would all have been crushed beneath his bulk. Katara neared the flickering fire and dropped her food on the uneven pebbles. She sighed as she stood and Zana approached her.

"I see you found more fruit trees," she smiled. "Yep, Momo deserves all of the thanks, though," Katara replied. At the sound of his name, the little lemur leapt from Aang and onto her. Katara giggled as the little mammal poked at the side of her head. Zana laughed right along, even throughthe flashbackshe had a to how Zuko had been so affectionate towards her earlier, and how much she longed for it again.

Katara suddenly remembered her promise to Aang, "Zana I- Zana?" she stopped once she realized what a zoned look her friend had on her face. "What?" Zana snapped back to reality. "Are you alright? You had that same look on your face from this morning." "Oh, yeah, sure!" Zana said a little too cheerfully, "You were going to ask me something?" "Yes," Katara said, "Aang wanted me to ask you where you felt we should travel to next. He's getting a little antsy here on this island and he wanted to know where you thought the next best place to go would be." Zana gave a thoughtful look before answering, "Well, there is this little abandoned island without a name that I know of. To the best of my knowledge, the Fire Nation troops abandoned it over a year ago." "Sounds good!" Katara chimed in, petting Momo gently between the ears, "Where is it?"

"That's the thing…It's right outside of the Fire Nation Main Island…" there was a grim tone to Zana's voice.


	13. Chapter 13:Plans

I am really happy with how this story is coming along! I hope all of my readers are too! I have really been getting a lot of hits lately (try in the mid 900's!) but I am getting very few reviews. I would really appreciate it if all of those fans that check out my story take a few seconds to write a review-I really don't care if it's only a sentence long, but please take the time. I can't make my writing better if no one tells me what to fix! Thank you again to all of you who do review and keep on doing so!

Plans

Katara's jaw nearly dropped, "What are you saying?" she hissed, "Go straight into Fire Nation territory with the Avatar and two banished teenagers-all of whom are probably wanted _dead_ or alive? We'll all be killed!" Zana remained unblinking, "Not if we are smart…Like I said, the soldiers have long abandoned the island and it's nothing but dense forest there. Plus, it is close to the Fire Nation Capitol." She looked over at Zuko. He was listening to Aang speak and stifled a smile at the unheard words. "But there's no way Aang is ready to face the Fire Lord!" Katara couldn't believe what she was hearing. "True, but not by himself, at least," Zana responded. "You mean-" Katara began but was quickly interrupted, "Zuko is ready. He has waited years for this and there is no way possible he can master Fire Banding any more. Even his temperament has changed for the better and all that can do is aid in the battle." Zana's eyes never left the young man she spoke of.

Katara stared as well, sizing Zuko up as she once had when they were enemies. "He desperately needs the closure…and so do the other Nations," Zana whispered in a daze. "Do you really think he will stop the War if he becomes Fire Lord?" Zana turned to Katara with a thoughtful sigh, "Zuko will do what is best-and if he knows what is best for him, he will," she gave a lighthearted laugh. Katara softly chimed in.

"You seem to know him pretty well," the Water Bender stated, "Did you two know each other before you were banished?" Zana's face froze, "No. I guess it is just a subject's responsibility to know what goes on in the Palace. You know…it's probably because I have the same exact feelings."

Zuko looked up from his conversation with Aang and Sokka to see Zana and Katara talking in deep whispers. He gave a minute frown, Zuko wasn't used to being excluded from such, seemingly, important discussions. "Zuko?" the Avatar asked. "What?" he remembered he had been doing something before he got distracted. "You were in the middle of your sentence." Zuko looked into Aang's cloud-gray eyes, and saw Sokka munch on a fruit as he looked expectantly for the conversation to continue. "Yes…" he continued where he had left off-all the while wondering what it was the girls had been talking about so intently.

Zana and Katara finished their conversation. They had finalized the plans between themselves and they were about to propose them to the boys. Both were a bit apprehensive about what they might think of such a daring plan. "Zana," came Iroh's voice. The old man was resting beside the fire. He had also returned from collecting the food, but at his own pace. "Yes, sir?" she asked, walking over to him. Katara paused as Zana left her side, but she soon continued walking over to her brother. "Zana, I wanted to ask you something," he smiled. She sat down beside Iroh, "What is it?" He looked her in her crystal eyes, "What are your intentions with my beloved Nephew?" _Spirits, he's blunt!_ thought Zana as her heart skipped a beat. "Well, I…uh, my mission is to put him back on the Fire Nation throne-" "No, no, I mean relationship wise. What about that?" Zana's face blushed a brilliant shade of red. She didn't know how Iroh could have known about their barely budding relationship. "I-I," Zana stuttered very uncharacteristically, wanting so badly not to embarrass Zuko.

"I don't know what you mean, Iroh. We have only known each other for several days. A time that short to produce a 'relationship' is impractical and improbable!" she finally found words. Iroh held his hands up in mock defense, "If you say so, Miss Zana, but I do indeed see the way he looks at you. He has an expression that I have never before seen on him," he gave a kind smile. Zana's cheeks and ears burned. Her body temperature began to rise uncontrollably again and it just kept going. She had to get out of there-clearing her throat, she spoke in a slightly squeaky voice, "Zuko's and my relationship is strictly in order to overthrow the current Fire Lord…" her voice sank. She hated so much to lie-especially to someone who had been so highly respected back when he was a part of the Fire Nation and who had only treated her with honor. Zana guiltily stood and strode down to the river.

Iroh watched her as she sped away. He gave another smile and chuckled to himself. "Zana, I expected more from you. Such a trained warrior is not usually such a terrible liar. Then again," he continued under his breath, "they don't really teach you about concealing matters of the heart in the Fire Academies, now do they?" It wasn't like he had expected Zana to tell him anything, but Iroh thought it only fare to give her a chance to get it off her chest. Iroh knew better than to give up on Zana and Zuko just because they refused to admit it aloud that they liked each other; it just might take some time.

Back near the river, Zana sidestepped Zuko, Aang, and the two siblings so she could reach the river. Quickly, she pulled a ribbon of liquid from the water and doused her face. Zuko, however, was the only one to notice the odd behavior. He wondered if she was all right. Zana soon came close to his side and sighed as if relieved of something she didn't want to deal with. Their backs were to the river, so Zuko knew that no one would be able to see it when he loosely placed his palm on the low curve of her spine. The gesture elicited a slight jump from her, but she relaxed eventually. As Sokka spoke about particularly nothing, Zuko's thumb ran across her back and caressed it softly with a side-to-side motion. Zuko heard none of Sokka's words, all he wanted to do was pull Zana off to the side and ask her what was wrong.

Katara felt that that moment was the right time to bring up the plans to the still potentially explosive ex-Prince. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Zuko made a move to talk, "Zana?" She turned to look up at him. "May I speak with you?" She gave a half shrug, "Sure." _What is with all of these people pulling her aside all of the time? _Katara thought, getting thoroughly frustrated at that point. Soon, the two of them headed in the direction of the forest so they could talk without any interruptions. Katara stared at Sokka and Aang. If she couldn't speak with Zuko, then she would tell her brother and the Avatar about their plans.

After walking a little ways into the dense woods, Zuko stopped Zana. "Are you all right? You seemed a little shaken after talking with Katara and then my Uncle." She gazed into his amber eyes, "I am fine, but Iroh knows what you feel for me. He's not stupid, you know and you are not exactly being silent about it," she flashed back to the Momo incident. Zuko gave a small frown-he did know Iroh was not naïve, but Zuko had not realized he, himself, was that blunt with his actions.

His face melted into a minute and mischievous smile, "Is that all?" Zana cocked an eyebrow, "_That all_? I thought you didn't want your Uncle knowing anything about your life anymore." The look on Zana's face made Zuko want her the way he had imagined when he had been meditating…

Zana's stubbornness and actions would have made him pretty mad if it were only a day or so ago, but at that moment, all he wanted to do was kiss her. Zuko had no idea what was coming over him. He could not have cared less if Iroh knew the emotions he held inside, he didn't have such a short fuse, and he wanted to be around the girl in front of him every moment possible. Was it a possibility for such a hurt young man to change so drastically and quickly for the better? He couldn't take it any more and Zuko quickly closed the gap between Zana's and his lips in one smooth motion. Zana inhaled sharply and pulled away almost immediately, "What are you doing? We were trying to talk!" She hissed at Zuko. Her reaction shocked him.

"Zana…I don't care what Iroh does or doesn't know. It does not bother me like it used to-" the look on Zana's face made him stop mid-sentence. She made an aggravated noise that correlated with her completely confused emotions. Zana was so happy that Zuko had changed, but at that point, she felt he was different for her, not because of her. "Zuko…just…stop," Zana stepped back. "We have established that we obviously like each other, but there is no reason in the world for you to completely change yourself for someone. Whether it be for better or worse, to impress them or not; it just shouldn't happen." The slightly hurt look in Zuko's eyes caused a sharp pang in Zana's heart, making it feel that it had begun to crack.

Zuko didn't know how to respond to Zana's words. It was true that he had noticed a difference in his attitude, but he hadn't thought that is was for her. The more he pondered the idea, the more Zuko realized he had been acting strange. He always was so guarded and hidden, but since Zana came into the picture, he hadn't really given a thought to what was going on around him. He hadn't even wondered when and how they were going to get close to the Fire Nation. Zuko came to the conclusion that allowing Zana to get beneath his skin provided a welcome but potentially dangerous distraction. He would definitely have to be much more careful and return some of the sanity of his old life.

"Zuko, please say something," Zana's usually strong features softened with worry. He halted his space-out and looked her in the eyes again. "You are right…I haven't been very careful lately," he gave a small, sad smile, "but I promise I will be from now on. And I can tell you now that some of the old Zuko will come back as well, so you better watch out." Zuko gave a sly look. Zana grinned in reply to his positive words. "You know," she began, "_everything_ doesn't have to change…" her sight flicked to his lips, "just _some_ things." Zuko took the subtle hint and bent down for another kiss. Both pairs of brightly colored eyes slid shut with bliss.

His hands reached up to cup the back of Zana's thin neck and her arms elevated to grasp Zuko's shoulders. He finally got the chance to do what he had intended to back before Sokka had disturbed them by the river. The hand he had against the back of her neck pressed them together further, causing Zana's lips to part slightly. Realizing his chance, Zuko slid his tongue in to join hers. She let out a little elated moan from the back of her throat. She couldn't believe that just seconds before they had been arguing and then the next moment, they were kissing in the woods. Zana secretly hoped to have more moments with Zuko like the one they were sharing that second. What had started out as a quest for the Fire Nation had become a quest for the heart.

Near the river, Katara continued telling the others of the agenda she and Zana had created. She told them how they would travel on Appa to the abandoned island and work on a more detailed plan of how they would attack the Fire Nation and Zuko would finally get his chance for vengeance while Aang would have the opportunity to restore some semblance of peace to the world. The young Avatar's eyes grew large as Katara spoke, "But I can't fight the Fire Lord! There's no _way_ that I am ready for that!" Katara stopped and sighed, "That's exactly what I told Zana, but…she believes with a little help from Zuko, you can. You know how stubborn she is, once she's got an idea in her head, there is just no stopping her."

"Yeah, but," Sokka began and soon changed to a whispered tone, "it's all well and fine, but is Zuko really that prepared to go against his own _father_?" There was a glazing of concern in her older brother's voice. Katara's eyes shifted to the sky, "If Zana says he is, then he is…she's the best fighter of all of us, including Zuko, so we should trust her judgment," no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to mask the slight apprehension in her voice.

All three turned their heads at a rustling noise coming from behind them. Soon emerged Zana and Zuko from the brush. Zana quickly ran her fingers through her pitch-black hair as they approached the trio. Katara shot her friend a confused and quizzical look, but all she got in return was a slight smile. "I have explained our plans to Zuko and he agreed." Truth be told, she had barely mentioned them to him just as they were exiting the tree line, but what little she had been able to talk to him about, Zuko had nodded in agreement. Sokka eyed Zuko, "But what about Aang? He's the one who has to help defeat the Fire Lord and, even after that, save the world. What happens if Zuko is not as ready as you say he is, Zana?" Zuko glared over at the Water Tribe boy and with that one look, Zana knew that Zuko would keep his word and allow some of the "old" Zuko to return. "Believe me, Sokka, he's as ready as he will ever be," she said.

Zuko stared at Sokka, "You think I can't handle it?" in a way it sounded like a challenge for the other young man to just speak up, let alone prove his point. Sokka was taken aback-he hadn't had Zuko speak to him like that in days and he was actually beginning to like it. He couldn't help but stare at the wide scar masking nearly a quarter of Zuko's face, _Maybe he can handle it,_ he thought cowardly. There was so much hatred directed in Sokka's direction that Zana had to finally steer Zuko away to avoid the other young man from going into fearful spasmatic convulsions. She slowly brought him over to Iroh who was too busy loking at the clouds to notice they had arrived.

"What was that for? I know I said that some of the old Zuko should come back, but you didn't have to be so mean to Sokka," Zana looked at Zuko. He returned the look with a bit of a frown, "Well, he is underestimating me and he hasn't even seen me at my full potential. Sokka was the one to judge too quickly." Zuko's arms crossed his chest. Zana gave a giggle, "Wow, you really are back." Iroh sat up at the sound of their approaching voices. He greeted them with his usual warm smile, "Hello there. How is everything?" He had heard the minute spat back at the river and was mildly curious about what it had been for. "Fine, Iroh," Zana said. The older man stood to meet them.

"What were you and the Avatar talking about back there?" Iroh asked. "We were letting them know what we thought out best next move might be. So far, every one has pretty much agreed," Zana answered. "And just what might those plans be?" he gave a curious look. "Well, Katara and I discussed it and we felt that it would be best if we took Appa, Aang's Flying Bison, and flew to that tiny island off the coast of the Fire Nation Mainland-" "But, there are several Naval Battalions stationed there!" Iroh exclaimed. "No, not any more, at least. They left after the War steered away from the Fire Nation territory," Zana explained matter-of-factly, "But once we are there, we can hide out and prepare to advance on the Fire Nation Palace," she looked out of the corner of her eye to judge Zuko's expression over attacking his home. There was no change in his stone features.

"Are we sure that that is such a good idea?" Iroh questioned apprehensively. He did not doubt his nephew's abilities at all, he just questioned his teenage judgment-more so at that moment that there was Zana influencing him. Iroh trusted the girl, but he also knew that her own decisions might have been clouded by her own need for some type of revenge. "Of course. How else are we going to find some place to harbor all of us at once that we can also get access to the Fire Nation Capitol? It won't be too hard for Aang and every one else to find somewhere, he's the Avatar after all, but they definitely won't be willing to take a Fire Nation Prince and his two other Fire Nation traveling companions," Zana looked Iroh in the eyes-she was right about it all, "Then, even if by some minute chance that we are able to find a place to stay that hasn't heard of your permanent outlaw status, then they will most likely kill Aang and anyone else with him on the spot."

Zuko looked down at Zana from beneath his lids. She seemed so concerned about his well-being as well as the rest of the group's. Her words stirred inside of his chest. She was so brave and strong, not to mention cunning in so many ways. Zuko thought those were probably the reasons he felt the way he did for the young woman beside him. She not only knew exactly what he was going through, but she refused to give up hope and used her learned and natural abilities all to her advantage in her quests.

Zuko suddenly got the strongest urge to reach over and put his arm around Zana's body. His arm twitched slightly in response to the impulse, but he quelled it once he remembered his promise to Zana-besides, Iroh was standing right there and the more Zuko thought about it, the more he realized he really didn't want his Uncle in every aspect of his life. He was just too annoying. "-right Zuko?" Zana had been speaking to him and he hadn't heard a word of it. He was too busy admiring Zana to hear what she had to say. "I'm sorry, what?" he felt bad because they were in the middle of a very serious conversation and he had completely gone off into his own mind.

Zana shot Zuko an aggravated frown, "I was trying to tell Iroh that you fully agreed with the plans that Katara and I made. He thought that you were only going along with them because _I_ thought of them," she gave an exaggerated eye roll. "No, Uncle, that is not the case at all," Zuko put on a heavy frown. "Then you do agree?" Zana seemed slightly agitated at his absentmindedness. "Isn't that what I just said?" Zuko returned her annoyed gaze. He hoped Zana was just putting on a show for Iroh, or there would be some things they may need to talk about in the near future.

The older man's eyebrows rose in confusion. He didn't understand whether or not the two teens in front of him were arguing or merely putting on a show. Before they could growl any more words out at each other, Iroh interjected, "I believe you…" Both Zana and Zuko's eyes flicked to him. He found more words, "I believe it is just more than an unnecessary risk that we should be taking at this point."

Zuko's brow furrowed deeply-_Now Uncle doesn't even think I am capable of taking care of myself!_ The young man was already riled up and it wouldn't have taken much more to cause him to lash out. After all, he had promised that some of his old selfwould return: that included his trademark temper. His fists clenched tightly, "What? You don't think I'll be able to handle the pressure? Or am I just not able to take risks because I'm just a child? Well, have I got news for you, Uncle! I am nearly seventeen and if we were back in the Fire Nation, then I'd be betrothed by now-married at eighteen! If that's what the 'normal' men have to go through back there, then I think this should be just another step forward in life!" Zuko's eyes blazed with frustration. He was so sick of everyone misjudging his power because of his age-just being 'the spoiled boy Prince', and having every other person baby him. He didn't know if it was out of fear for him or they actually cared for him, but he constantly sensed it was the latter.

Zuko could no longer take the look in Iroh's eyes and he pivoted and stormed away, throwing his hands in a downward motion and creating bursts of flame directed at the earth. He gave a deep growl, "We move out tomorrow at dawn!" Zuko's voice was gruff with anger and if Zana and his uncle had been able to see his face, they would have seen a scowl to rival even the most loathsome of creatures.

Zana made a motion to follow the steaming Zuko, but halted herself. She, in essence, had asked for what had happened-though she had really begun to like the nonexistent mood swings. Zana faced Iroh. She knew that he had meant well with his words and that he was only worried for his nephew's well-being, but he should have known better than to set Zuko off like that. "Zana, I guess we had better do what he says," Iroh smiled, "If I know Zuko, he'll go on, with or without the rest of us." Those humorous words comforted Zana a little and she shrugged as she began to make her way back over to Katara and the others.

Sokka greeted Zana enthusiastically, "What has gotten into him again?" He had been referring to Zuko's earlier attitude towards him. Zana disregarded the comment and looked straight at Aang, "So, Avatar, think you are ready to head off to the Fire Nation?" The boy gave a nervous but optimistic laugh. "So, where is this Flying Bison of yours?" "Well, we left him back on a deserted section of beach nearby to where we met up with you…Gimme a sec," Aang smiled and crouched down. He quickly bent the air around his tiny frame and, with a flourishing spin, was elevated into the air high above the treetops. Slowly returning back to the pebbled stretch of earth, he spoke with a sigh, "I can see Appa, but he's really far away. I didn't realize just how far we traveled, but he is nearly on the other side of the island. It looks like it might take days to reach him…" The young Avatar stared up at Zana as if he had read her mind. "Zuko won't be happy at all," she gave a thoughtful look. "We'll just have to make due and keep going, but everyone try to stay on his good side…for all of our sakes." Zana gave a small smile and turned to depart so she could go look for where Zuko had run off to.


	14. Chapter 14:Afraid

In the last chapter, I tried to play up Zuko and Zana's budding relationship, but still show how there were many, many flaws in the whole idea of it. I REALLY hope that I was able to show that and not make it seem like the two of them were just falling completely head-over-heels for each other. I was trying desperately to make it read as realistically as possible. COME ON GUYS! I have almost 1,350 hits and VERY few reviews! I really need those reviews for my writing! Please help! Read, review, and enjoy Chapter 14!

Afraid

Zana left Sokka, Aang and Katara in her wake as she began searching for Zuko. She traveled in the direction that he had stormed off to, but there was no sign of him. She couldn't help but feel slightly bad for the young man-he had so many responsibilities to worry about and then, as of a few minutes before, he had to plan out how he was going to defeat his own father.

Soon, Zana reached the edge of the tall treeline and peered in the brush. Though it was midday, the forest was a lush, deep green hue from the high canopy filtering the sun's rays. There was suddenly an abrupt glow that flickered from somewhere deeper in the trees. _Zuko..._ Zana thought to herself. He was still pissed from his encounter with Iroh and she wanted to get to him before he caused the entire woods to burst into flames. She slowly and stealthily crept through the fallen branches and avoided any leaves that might give away her position. She quickly came apon Zuko, breathing heavily, his fists clenched from his most recent outlet of fire. Zana thought twice before revealing herself from behind the large tree with which she was concealing herself. She was curious.

Zuko gave a gruff and unhappy sigh as he tilted his head back and ran his palms frustratedly over his nearly smooth skull. His hair had begun to grow back and it made him feel rather unkempt. They slid over the spot where his Princly top-knot had once been. It was an odd feeling for him. It had been so long since he had allowed his hair to grow out back to its style of that of a young Prince's. The look was so long gone from his memory that it was actually difficult for him to picture himself with anything other than his cleanly shaven skull. One of Zuko's hands found his old silk sash, still fastened to his wrist. He held it up to his face and cooly examined the brilliant gold color. He quickly became bored and allowed his hand to drop back to its place by his side.

Part of Zuko couldn't take the anticipation of the upcoming battle with his father, the Fire Lord, but the other half dreaded it. He knew what his father was capeable of and it was not exactly the most pleasant thing to behold. Zuko frowned, creating deep creases above his amber eyes. "Everything has changed so much..." Zuko mumbled to himself, "I can never go back home without creating a deadly outburst, I am actually traveling with the Avatar, and then, there is Zana..." His voice had trailed off softly. There was an odd look in his gaze. There was something there that had never been apparant before-some new strange emotion that Zuko was too desperate not to show to anyone. His eyes shut and there stood Zana in front of him. She wasas beautiful as always, but not as one would expect the average girl to be attractive. Sure, she had a very aestetically pleasing body, but she had the will and the ability to verbally or physically, if need be, put Zuko in his place. No one except for his father had had anywhere near that type of power over him. To Zuko, the control his father had was torturous and infuriating, whereas Zana's was attractive.

There was a muffled rustle nearby, causing Zuko's eyes to spring open in surprise. He automatically slid into a ready stance just as Zana stepped out of the trees, "Zuko?" her voice was soft with emotion, but he was unable to place the feeling. Zuko righted his frame as she approached him. "Zuko, are you all right?" Zana had a look in her glistening blue eyes that perfectly personified her words. "Yes!" his voice was a little louder than he had intended it to be. "No you're not," she argued right back with an equally defiant and loud tone. It didn't really surprise Zuko, though, he was used to it. The scowl plastered on his face softened slightly. Zana was standing in front of him, her body only inches from his, and she reached one of her strong but slender hands up and traced her thumb along the base of his steady jaw line. The soft sensation sent slight tremors up and down Zuko's body. He didn't want the contact to end: he wanted her to continue touching him like that forever...

The young man was having a hard time controlling himself and keeping his promise to Zana. He cleared his throat and stepped back from her hand. The line that she had traced was growing increasingly colder as he spoke, "There really in nothing wrong. It is just my Uncle...he-" "You are afraid. aren't you?" there was a quizzical look in her eyes, but Zuko was able to tell that her words weren't meant to hurt him-Zana really was sincerely worried for him. Zuko had to find words, but it was difficult, "I do not feel fear," he turned away from her with a grunt. There was no need to seem weak in front of the girl he had just been dreaming about seconds earlier. Besides, Zuko just _did not_ show fear-even if that was the way he had been feeling.

Taking a step up to Zuko, Zana cupped one of her hands atop his broad shoulder and turned him to face her. She knew if he hadn't really wanted to look at her, he would have refused her touch. Zana gave him a meek smile, "There is no shame in fear, Zuko-" she was abruptly cut off by his angered, rumbling voice, "I told you, I am never-" Zana clapped her hand over his mout before he was able to complete his repetitive sentence. There was aslightly stunned look in his piercing eyes-obviously no one had shut him up before. The thought caused a grin to begin to blossom on her lips. "There is _no_ shame. No matter what you think, it is a completely human thought; and that is exactly what you are-a human," the words registered and caused something to click inside of Zuko. He had never actually considered himself a human being, not since his banishment had begun. He felt as if he were the only one who knew the pain he felt and the suffering and shunning he had been forced through, but then Zana had come along. She was banished as well and her own father had caused her as much, if not more, pain as Zuko had been through. It was an oddly warming feeling that plesantly coursed throughout his entire being. Zana had considered him to be an actual human and not just some title or a misunderstood teenager.

The very thought caused him to give a minute smile on the inside-not to mention at the humor of the situation. The girl firmly pressing her hand to his mouth truly cared for Zuko in a way that he had never been before in his life. Zana's face was no more than a finger's width from his own and she searched deep into his eyes. "You know, you don't have to hide anything from me. Who am I going to tell? Momo?" The comment illicited a smile from the silenced teen. She felt Zuko's lips curl softly against her hand and she released him. "There, now. I did tell you that I would appreciate the old Zuko back, but I don't think I can live with a temper-tantrum every hour," she grinned. "Excuse me?" he mocked anger, but was unable to conceal a laugh on the end of the sentence. Zana thrust her arms around Zuko's neck and he automatically slung his hands around her hips.

Zana blushed. She was still not quite used to all of the affection she was receiving from Zuko. All of the years in the Fire Naton's Academy for Girls had caused her to guard her emotions very carefully, but there really was no hiding her true essence-a normal, outgoing teenage girl. She was a fantastic warrior, but she still cried when she was hurt, bled when injured, laughed when happy, and was able to feel love-exactly like Zuko. The young man's features softened dramatically as he studied Zana. She was unsure about the attention, but, whatever it was for, she secretly enjoyed it. Zuko bent forward and just when she thought he was about to kiss her again, he leaned his smooth forehead against hers, tugging slightly at the hair cascading across her features. His eyes were closed and his dark lashes grazed her eyelids softly and tickled. Zana stared at Zuko's face. His scar took up most of her line of sight and seemed a dark hue of purple in the dim forest light. She found herself wondering what it was he was thinking so intently about. His strong arms pulled her up against his body and closed the slight gap between them.

Her eyes grew wide as she felt every part of his frame conform to fit her in his comforting grasp. Zuko's muscular arms undulated against her back as he shifted to rest his head atop her shoulder. Zana gave in and hugged back. She knew by his movements that she had been correct about his fear. Zana's eyes closed with the warmth from his body against hers. There really was no need for him to admit aloud that she was right, his actions were more literate than he ever could have been.

Zana relaxed and further gave into Zuko's embrace. She knew how very difficult it was for him to show even that miniscule amount of, what he considered to be, weakness.

The two of them stood there in silence. Zuko was motionless, but his mind raced so fast that it was hard to decipher all of the different thoughts running through it. He wondered about the plan the girls had brought up-how they were going to get to the island unnoticed, how they were going to enter the Fire Nation safely, how he was going to battle his own father… It would have been a much harder task if he actually cared for the Fire Lord, but then again, most things are made more difficult when matters of the heartwere dragged into the picture. Zuko squeezed his eyes shut tighter and hugged Zana closer to his own body.

Aang dropped his head back in a sigh. There was just too much information for his mind to comprehend. He sat down alone at the river's edge with a large mango held tightly between his hands. Momo hopped up on top of his narrow shoulders and also stared longingly at the fruit in Aang's grasp. The boy gave a smile, "Here, you can have it, Boy. I'm not really hungry anyway…" With the last words that slipped past Aang's lips, the Flying Lemur happily snatched up the mango and bit into it with his fangs. The boy gave a little laugh and looked back up at the setting sun. He knew that he would have had to go up against the Fire Lord sooner or later, but he had not really expected it to be a few weeks after he was at the North Pole.

The Avatar wasn't cocky enough to think that it would be easy for him to fight the Fire Lord-he hadn't even learned Earth or Fire Bending yet. Well, there had been that time when he was able to control the fire, but Aang had ended up burning Katara. In a way, it had been a very good learning experience coupled with pain as she was able to discover her healing abilities. _Fire Bending…_ he thought and clasped a hand over his forehead in stupidity. He had been traveling with not one, but _two_ Fire Benders for a week or so and he hadn't even thought of asking themfor help with his Bending abilities. Aang felt so idiotic. He sat forward and pivoted, looking for said teenagers, but they were nowhere to be found. Come to think of it, none of the others in the group had seen them either since Zana went to go find Zuko. Aang hoped they were ok, but those two were probably some of the most capable warriors around and they could probably handle themselves.Aang promised himself that he would ask one of them to teach him Fire Bending, but he would do it when there was more of an opportunity for him to learn it correctly.

Zana ran her hands up and down Zuko's forearms. Their embrace had ended in silence and the two of them were speaking with their piercing eyes. She gave a contented sigh through her nose and shifted her gaze to the top of Zuko's head. Zana's smile grew wide and she reached her hand up to the crown of his skull, "Your hair…it's growing back." He obviously not been able to keep up his clean-shaven look while they were out in the forest, causing a small covering of stubble to graze his head. Apon closer inspection, she was able to tell where the flesh of the side of his head had been scarred so badly that it was impossible for hair to grow-causing a jagged line to invade his scalp. Zuko gave a snicker and ran his own finger tips back and forth over his head, "Yes, I-" "I like it," Zana piped up and shot him a flirtatious smile. Zuko returned it and dropped his palms.

Zana truly thought Zuko looked handsome. She saw through his scar and outward toughness, and she really enjoyed the view. Zana gave yet another of her reoccurring smiles and slid her hand into Zuko's. He focused his amber eyes on their contacting palms. She gave a barely audible snicker at his odd behavior and tugged him along after her.

Zuko followed along in Zana's wake putting up no fight at all. It was a little hard for him to give up some, if any, control; but with Zana in the lead, there was no halting his new and submissive attitude. He didn't give any thoughtto where she was leading him, but it wasn't of any importance in his mind. Zuko watched as the girl led him, weaving, through the trees. Zuko contemplated allowing her to drag him along, but then he recalled how she had seemed like she wanted to say more back when she'd first 'stumbled' upon him.

He dug his heels into the leaf-littered forest bed, "Wait, where are you taking me?" Zana stopped and turned to him, "I wanted to head back to the camp-" Zuko felt odd that he had a pang of disappointment that that was where she had been taking him, "-the others will be worried that we have disappeared for so long, and I did need to tell you that if we still want to go along with our plans…it may take quite a while to reach Appa…" she looked sincerely disappointed that she had had to tell Zuko that.

His face dropped and he pulled his hand from her soft grasp. Zuko's face deepened in a frown. He was extremely disappointed. Zuko had wanted to reach the outskirts of the Fire Nation as soon as he possibly could, especially since all the talk of the inevitable match between him and his father had been brought up. Though he knew that deep down he was nervous and, possibly even, slightly fearful for the encounter, Zuko knew it was the thing he most had to do-as much for himself as for the rest of the innocent world. Zana had brought that much to light in front of his eyes.

Zana simply stared at Zuko's pondering face. She knew she shouldn't have brought it up so soon after his argument with Iroh, but she had to tell him sooner better than later. Zana felt he could be so confusing sometimes-one minute, Zuko was practiacally begging to be in her arms for silent comfort, but the next he was pissed because it would take them a little longer than expected to reach their destination. "It won't be that much longer until we reach the island, maybe a week or so longer than we anticipated," she said, hoping to quell whatever was welling up inside of the young man in front of her.

Zuko released a self-regulating sigh to calm his nerves. Inside, he knew that there was really no reason to blame Zana for the lengthy delay, but there had to be a way to get there faster. He was dying to just get it all over with and have his precious revenge. Even through his angry thoughts, there was no stopping the growl from the pit of his stomach. The sound was nearly painful it was so loud. Zuko froze, hoping that Zana hadn't heard anything, but there was no letting anything slip past her, "You haven't eaten, have you?" He gave a pale blush from the high point of his cheek bones-he was able to be embarrassed: he had a stone front, but Zuko was still a teenage boy-easily flushing in front of the girl he wanted to prove so much to. "What am I going to do with you?" Zana grinned playfully, slipping her arm through the crook of his and began again to pull him back to the others and the camp.

Later, after the sun set and everyone who hadn't eaten filled their stomachs with what was left of the fruit, they decided what the order of the watch was going to be. It turned out that both Zana and Zuko were going to have to keep watch much later in the night, so both of them settled in for a bit of rest. Zana, wrapped tightly in her cloak, was out nearly instantly, as was the rest of the group. Aang paced back and forth at the river's edge, occassionally twirling an orb of water to occupy himself as well ashis short attention span. Zuko rolled over and studied Zana's exhausted features beside him. He knew that if he touched her, she would wake; as did all trained warriors at the slightest hint of surprise or danger, but it was such a difficult urge to fight. Zuko allowed his gaze to slowly travel up and down her body. Though most of the curves were hidden in a sea of fabric from her cloak, he gave a sly, knowing smile as to what was underneath it all.

Suddenly, however, he was hit with a thought as if by one of the Avatar's powerful wind gusts, causing his eyes to grow wide: _what happens when we defeat father...what happens to me and Zana?_ The thought shocked him as he hadn't really thought about the idea before. He knew that he would be expected by the people to marry, as was custom for all eighteen-year-old men, but the very thought sent dread shooting up and down his spine. As he had yelled at Iroh earlier, he was nearly seventeen and, if he hadn't been banished, he would have been preparing for a wedding in the near future to his betrothed. Since he left at fourteen, however, he didn't find out who he would have been forced to marry-that right was reserved for sixteen-year-olds. Though the very notion disgusted Zuko, he couldn't help but feel curious about who it had been that he was arranged to marry.

His eyes stayed focused and unblinking on Zana's closed ones throughout the discussion in his mind. Zuko came to the conclusion that, even if he wanted to marry and was able to marry whomever he wanted, the Fire Nation would never approve of Zana-_Wait! What the hell am I thinking? There is no way that I like Zana that much-I don't even want to be married in the first place-too much shared control...or maybe..._ Zuko blinked hard and rolled to look away from Zana's face to dismiss any and all thoughts like the ones he had been contemplating. He had never had any intentions of being married-since he had been banished-just because custom said so. Zuko closed his eyes and wondered why it was that when he looked at Zana, she evoked the strange thoughts that had run so briefly through his head.


	15. Chapter 15:Confused

Hmmm…. last chapter had some plans formed and we just have to see how closely our characters follow them! I put a little foreshadowing into the story, but it is up to you to have found it! (Hint, hint, it was all throughout the chapter, he, he!) Well, I hope all of you keep on enjoying, reading, and reviewing!

Confused

True to his word, Zuko had the entire troop up at sunrise, as had been the routine for the past few days. They had already been traveling for a while and-according to Aang-were still a few days away from Appa and then they would be off to the island. The early rise was no problem for Zana; however, Sokka had a bit more difficulty. "But _Zaaanaaaa_!" whined Sokka, his eyes still sealed tightly shut as he attempted continuing his dreams. It had been the third time that she had rolled the young man over to wake him and she was getting tired of it; especially since it happened every single morning. Closing her eyes, Zana was able to feel the beginnings of a monstrous headache spreading from the bridge of her nose back to her scalp. She spoke in a demanding tone, "Sokka! I am serious! Now get up or I'll have Zuko on your back quicker than you can whine my name one more time." With the last words, his eyes sprang open. She had never spoken harshly to him like that before and it took him a second to process it all, but as soon as Zuko's name passed through his mind, Sokka stood up as fast as he possibly could, "So…where are we off to?" Zana gave a pleased grunt that he had finally decided to join the land of the waking, "You know very well where we are going-" "Boy, I can't wait to see Appa again!" the Avatar's young voice interrupted her sentence. Zana didn't mind, though, all she did was gesture towards Aang for the absolutely correct statement.

Zuko looked up from his task of destroying any and all evidence that they had been there to see Zana pulling the Water Tribe boy to his feet. He had made of point of avoiding her every morning, during their watch shifts, and the travels. Zuko was utterly confused by the thoughts that had run across his mind several nights before. He didn't exactly want to do anything until he was able to decipher them. Besides, he knew that even if he did not go to Zana, she would come to him in her own time-and by then, he hoped to have everything all sorted out.

"Nephew, is it really necessary that we always move out so early in the day?" came Iroh's complaining and weary voice from behind Zuko. He turned to face his uncle and gave him a mildly dirty look. Zuko refused to dignify the whine with a response and went back to covering up the fire they had had with an even pile of beach pebbles. It wasn't too much longer before the whole gang was ready to go. The Avatar excitedly rambled on about how he saw how far away his Flying Bison was and how much longer he estimated it to be. Zuko wondered how the boy actually felt on the inside, as he, himself, was mildly filled with nervous anticipation-and if he had those feelings, then he was curious as to what a twelve-year-old boy thought about the whole situation.

Soon enough, all seven of them, including Momo, were all set to head off. Aang led the way with the little Flying Lemur on his shoulder because he really was the only one able to find where his Flying Bison was-though he had offered to use his Bison whistle, there was no need to cause more attention to be drawn to the gigantic creature if he came crashing to their "rescue". All had decided unanimously that it would be best if they just went to Appa rather than the other way around.

Right after Aang came Iroh, Sokka, and Katara. The three of them were happily left to their conversation of where the best cuisine that they had sampled in all of their travels had come from. Sokka vehemently stated that back home in the Southern Water Tribe was the best while Katara argued her point for the food back on Kyoshi Island. Iroh had no qualms with either and just nodded in agreement or disagreement, but rather just enjoyed the entire prospect of having actual prepared food once again.

Those pairings left Zana and Zuko to carry up the rear. Zuko refused to allow himself to look down at her, though he could feel her own amazing eyes attempting to pull his gaze towards hers. His posture stiffened-Zuko still felt slightly uncomfortable about being around Zana after all of the baffling thoughts that he had had. He had promised himself that he would let her come to him until he sorted himself out, but Zuko had been the one to fall back in step with her. It was just too damn hard for him to stay away and it frustrated him deeply.

Suddenly and silently, there was a nudge from Zana's shoulder on the upper part of his bicep-the truth was that she really missed talking to him, not to mention the way he looked at her. Zuko really did not want her mad at him, so he turned his head to look at Zana. Zana was looking for him to start a conversation to end the semi-awkward silence between the two of them. Zuko cleared his throat and spoke, "So…do you really think that it will still take us a few more days to get to this Flying Bison?" For lack of better words, Zuko choked out the last part of the sentence. Zana's eyes staring back up at him seemed fathomless, causing his breath to hitch deep in the back of his throat.

"I trust Aang. He really seems to know what he is doing. Besides, it will give us even more time to prepare," Zana smiled warmly. There was just something in her voice that caused all of Zuko's insecurities to be pushed to the very back depths of his mind and he saw only her-felt only the way he wanted to touch Zana, to kiss her…

Zuko swallowed a large lump that had been growing inside of his throat. Zana missed none of it, "Are you sure you are all right?" There was a mildly amused look in her eyes, as if she was able to tell that he had been thinking about her. "Yes, of course! Why wouldn't I be?" Zuko replied a little too enthusiastically. Zana shamelessly rolled her eyes at his feeble attempt to mask his feelings. In her opinion, he had been acting rather strange the past couple of days and it was beginning to really confuse her. "Was it something I said?" she asked in return, not bothering to answer Zuko's question as she truly considered it to be rhetorical. His amber eyes widened and pupils dilated for just a flicker in time, but it was enough for Zana to catch, "No, not at all," Zuko spoke in an odd tone- _It is more just _you_ in general…_ he thought.

Without breaking their eye contact, she reached her hand over and wove their fingers together. Zuko turned away and stared forward, unable to mask the small grin growing upon his normally icy face. Zana knew how he would react; all she had wanted to do was melt his frozen façade and she was well aware that it was actually the smallest of gestures that did so. Slowly, Zuko's thumb caressed hers and without missing a beat or turning his head from the backs of their companion travelers, he tugged her into the thick brush to their side so they disappeared into the woods.

Zana held in a yelp of surprise at Zuko's actions only because she was curious as to his plans for them. She was not daft; she knew what he wanted-Zuko was a teenage boy, after all-but Zana found herself shocked that she was beginning to want the same…

A light blush began to show on the high part of Zana's cheekbones and she prayed to every Spirit that she could name in the three-second span that Zuko would not notice. She wanted so badly for him to see the more prominent, strong side of her rather than the new and unfamiliar self-conscious view. He continued to urge her deeper into the forest, his hand warm against hers.

Zuko had absolutely no idea what he was doing-it was only a short time ago that he had been avoiding Zana as best as he could, and then he was dragging her away from the rest of the group just to be alone with her. She was definitely beneath his skin and he knew deep down that there was no way to get her out. Zuko stopped as soon as he was sure they were far enough away from the others who, he hoped, had continued walking in the opposite direction with their absence going unnoticed. Zuko quickly turned on his heel and, using Zana's built up momentum to his advantage, crushed their lips together with every pent up emotion that had been pooling inside of his core. To his surprise, she gave in quickly and released his hand and proceeded to place hers on his collarbone. He responded likewise and gently began to caress the softest spot on her cheeks, just below her darkly lashed eyes. There came a barely audible moan from the very back of Zuko's throat as their lips parted and met ravenously.

His hands traveled from the velvet smoothness of Zana's cheeks to the nape of her neck beneath the collar of her tunic. There, Zuko's fingers found the abnormal silkiness of a broad scar. They lovingly traced it as if his very touch could heal any and all ailments Zana possessed-physically and emotionally. Finally, Zuko pulled back for air. He had nearly been drowned in the luxury of Zana's lips on his.

When Zana could no longer feel Zuko's deep and longing kisses on her, she slid her eyes open reluctantly as if it were all a dream and if she awoke, it would all disappear. But when she did, everything was as it should have been-Zuko was panting shallowly and hungrily. There was something peering through his dark-amber eyes, something that looked like lust to Zana. She was still enclosed comfortably in his steady arms, but what had once felt like such a warm and strong hold, felt slightly suffocating to her.

Zuko just could not take it all anymore. It was no longer good enough to just kiss Zana and have her in his arms: he wanted so badly to tell her that he had feelings for her that he had never associated with any other being. By the Spirits it was so tempting to just outright and tell Zana that he most likely loved her…

That whole ideal was still so new to Zuko that he wasn't even really sure of the way that he felt. Though, whenever he was around Zana, all he wanted to do was hold her, protect her-though he knew very well that she was perfectly capable of doing so for herself-and truly show her the feelings he had contained so carefully inside. It was so difficult for Zuko to admit aloud exactly what ran through his mind, that all he was able to do was lean forward again and cover Zana's mouth with his. Zana tensed up at his touch. She had seen the new look in Zuko's eyes and she was distraught over what she saw. She knew that it was no longer a mere affection Zuko had for her-that he wanted something more. Zana, however, was not quite ready to give him what he desired.

Zuko gave in to his whims again and allowed his palms to travel down her back, caressing her spine lightly. When his fingers found the lip of Zana's tunic, which fell to her mid-thigh, they smoothly slid beneath the fabric and the only thing separating their skin.

Zana felt what Zuko was doing as he distracted her with his lusty kisses and the whole sensation sent white-hot bolts shooting up and down her spine. His hold tightened around her being and he pulled her lower body tight against his, allowing her to know-to feel just how badly he wanted her. Zuko was completely consumed by a little voice inside of him that kept urging him to go further.Zana knew that her inner self told her to stop resisting, that she cared enough for Zuko to allow what they were doing to go further, but her heart told her that she needed to hear something from his mouth first… Zana's lips reluctantly pulled away from Zuko's as his fingertips began to graze her bare midriff and toy with her waistband on the low of her hips. "Zuko," she began breathlessly, "Not until you say you love me…" A knowing smile played on her lips. Her body yearned for what Zuko was doing to her and Zana knew that if Zuko cared for her as much as his actions showed, they would both get what they wanted so badly.

Zuko was completely taken aback by Zana's words. He hadn't expected her to say anything, just to go along with him, but no matter how hard Zuko pushed himself, he was unable to say the words Zana wanted him to. He released her waist and slid his hands back from under the edge of her tunic. Zana let her own arms slide from Zuko's body, but she was unable to mask her hurt, as he did not say the words she prayed and willed him to.

Zuko's expression hardened. He was baffled as to what to say to Zana's demand. His mouth opened as if to start a sentence, but all that came forth was a minute noise from the back of his throat. Zuko's mind spun and the words he just did not know how to say stuck to his tongue. He gave a great gruff noise and frustratedly ran the hands that had once been on Zana through his dark hair. He wasn't quite sure if he loved her or not-though before the whirlwind of activity had begun, Zuko had nearly convinced himself that he did-but whatever it was that Zuko felt for the girl in front of him was slowly being clouded by aggravation. He, in no way whatsoever, wanted to completely allow his guard to collapse and tell Zana what was running back and forth through his mind.

"Zana, I-" Zuko attempted to begin once again and paused at the look on the girl's face. She was frowning at his lack of the words she really wanted to hear-her coal-black hair concealing nearly half of her usually soft face. Zana's arms slowly crossed her chest as her anger levels increased. "I just…," Zuko was so close to saying that he didn't know, but he saw those words probably would have stung her more than not saying anything at all.

Tears pricked the backs of Zana's eyes and threatened to unleash themselves right then and there, in front of Zuko. She was sure that he had more feelings for her than a slight attraction: it was the way he seemed to open up to her, the way he looked at her-according to Iroh-like he had never looked at anyone else before in his life, the way he touched her, how she felt about Zuko. She had hoped that he reciprocated those very feelings so they could both get what they needed and wanted.

Before the tears were able to spill over, Zana forced words out, "It doesn't matter…" Zuko knew that she didn't mean those words by the hurt undertone to them. It made him so angry that he was the one to cause Zana so much pain and he just wanted to take her into his arms and make it all better, but he knew it wasn't that easy. He had stepped into a completely unknown realm of passionate emotions that had to be released and spoken, but it was definitely something he was not good at and it would take a lot of getting used to. Before Zuko could say anything more, Zana gave a gruff and upset sound, "I am…going to go and see if I can find Aang and the rest of the group. They'll be worried if they don't see that we're there following them." With the last half of the sentence, she pivoted and turned back to the direction they had come. All Zuko could do was watch her receding frame as it pushed its way through the trees and fallen brush; leaving Zuko to contemplate alone.

Zana exited the tree line into the blinding morning sun. Looking to the left and right, there was absolutely no sign of her traveling companions. She gave an aggravated sigh and began walking north. It was the direction they had been traveling in that direction earlier, so it seemed logical that the rest of the group would continue to do so. Zana unconsciously gave a hard blink, causing a tear or two to travel down her cheeks. She frowned and swiped them away, pissed off at the fact that she had been crying so much since she met Zuko. She prided herself in being such a strong person, but it had become so hard to control herself. Zana quelled her tears and sped up her pace to a slow and silent jog to catch up with Iroh and everyone else quicker.

It was a mere matter of minutes until she caught sight of the slowly moving troop. She was a little surprised at how they didn't seem to question why Zuko wasn't telling them to speed up, as their pace was a sluggish crawl. Silently, Zana slipped into her place behind Iroh, Katara, and Sokka who were still pretty absorbed in their conversation. Aang was up ahead playing with Momo happily in their own little world. She gave a quiet sigh and pushed the heels of her palms into her eyes, attempting to shove away her distracting thoughts. Zana refocused her gaze on the small group. Knowing that Zuko would want her to keep the pace up, she called ahead, "Hey! Let's keep going! We need to make better time today." All of the others turned to look back at her and had odd looks on their faces-they hadn't heard a sound from the rear of the pack in a little over an hour.

"Ok, but where is my Nephew?" Iroh looked slightly confused. Zana came up with a quick excuse, "He thought he heard something a ways back and he went to check it out. He should be back soon enough." The words were good enough for the travelers and they returned to their previous occupations and doubled their pace. Zana tilted her head towards the light blue sky. It really was a beautiful day to travel, but it was all suppressed in the back of her mind and all that was prominent was the fact that if Zuko had told her he loved her, then she would have done _anything_ for him…

Zuko stayed in the same stance that Zana had left him in. He glared at where her back had once been, willing and commanding her to come back to him. Zuko gave a great growl of frustration and his fists were engulfed in impulsive flames. He simply stood there breathing heavily until he realized it was all useless. He knew that he wasn't the type to just tell a girl he loved her so he could get what he wanted-not that he had ever really gotten the opportunity before, but he told himself that he had much better morals than that.

Zuko extinguished his hands and stared at his upturned palms. He knew that he had such strong feelings for Zana, but he was not sure if he should or even how to express them. His teeth gritted and he decided to give up on the whole idea for that point in time.

Even though the whole thought process, Zuko's mind flicked to a different topic and he headed deeper into the woods to help relieve himself of the growing pressure in his pants.


	16. Chapter 16:Tradition

So! We had a little nit of a conflict back in the last chapter! I really hope that it was realistic and believable enough for all of you readers. It was more of a challenge for me to write, but I think I did an ok job. In this chapter I plan on having the group move forward more towards the unnamed island and the Fire Nation. Hope all of you enjoy it! Keep on reading and reviewing!

Tradition

It had taken Zuko nearly another hour to find the traveling group and at that point he had accidentally stumbled upon the resting group. He was about to protest at what seemed like laziness, but he realized how far they had really gone in a little over two hours. He cleared his throat and strode over to them. Iroh looked up at his nephew and greeted him, "There you are, Zuko! Did you find any sign of the Fire Nation soldiers?" His question confused Zuko, but then he glanced over in Zana's direction. She was busying herself with a conversation with Sokka. She bearly acknowledged his existence, but Zuko quickly came to the conclusion that Zana had covered for him with a skillfully thought-up story. "No, there was nothing. It was a false alarm," Zuko said before turning to the nearby Avatar.

Aang looked up from his cross-legged position at Zuko. "Do you still need to learn Fire Bending?" The question was awkward for him to ask, but Zuko knew that someone had to teach the Avatar that type of Bending, so why not let it be him-besides, it would help get out his aggression.

Aang stood with a small gust of Bended air, "Yes! Are you gunna teach me?" The young boy's voice was so enthusiastic and ready to learn…it somewhat reminded Zuko of a younger form of himself. Zuko shook the sad memories from his head and he gave a brisk nod as he walked over to the river's edge with Aang fast on his heels. In order to do so, however, Zuko had to pass by Zana. The girl barely looked up as he brushed by her, but if he had stopped and made a closer inspection, Zuko would have seen a deep blush creep its way up the back of Zana's neck to her ears and finally her cheeks. To her, it was a raging mixture of anger, embarrassment, and longing, but she dared not speak up, as she wanted desperately to hold her ground.

Her hands clasped tighter around the edge of her tunic that she had been toying with and her knuckles swelled to a stark-white hue. Sokka noticed and stopped mid-sentence to look at Zana, "Helloooo? You paying attention?" She snapped back to her conversation, trying her best to recall what it was they had been talking about. "Huh-oh no, I have never been to the Southern Water Tribe, but from what you have said about it, it sounds beautiful…" she covered her rear. Zana hadn't told anyone about the happenings in the woods, nor did she plan on it.

As Sokka continued rambling proudly about some tower he had built back home, Zana slyly stole glances over at Zuko and Aang. The younger boy was happily explaining to Katara how he was going to learn Fire Bending 'the right way this time'. Zana hadn't a clue as to what that had meant, but it was Zuko she was paying attention to. He was trying his best to mask how proud he was of himself that he had offered his services to the Avatar with his strong stance of crossed arms and cold features, but Zana saw through it. She realized that she was probably the only one who did…

As soon as Aang was done conversing with Katara, Zuko slid into a ready-stance and the younger boy mimicked. Zana proceeded to watch as Katara sidled a safe distance away to where Iroh was resting, giving an occasional nod in agreement or disagreement to Sokka's side of the conversation. She stared off at the young man attempting to teach the Avatar to create fire, watching as Zuko's every motion was smooth and purposeful. Zana was unable to clearly hear his words to Aang, but she could get the basic gist of it by the serious look on his face and the controlled tone of his voice.

Zuko stood near the lapping river's edge with Aang by his side. It was such a strange thing to comprehend-that he who had once hunted the Avatar for blood, if necessary, was at that moment teaching him Fire Bending. He was amazed by the vast amount of trust the young boy had for anyone willing to show him even the slightest bit of kindness. Zuko looked down at the boy's small frame and commented briefly on his stance, saying, "You are standing like a Water Bender, you need to be stronger. Fire Bending is all about finding your opponent's weakness and then exploiting it as much as possible…" Aang gave a solemn nod and did as he was told. Zuko gave a small grunt of approval before returning to that place inside of himself. He heard the Avatar's concentrated breathing beside him. It was obvious he had had some-but hardly any-training prior to befriending Zuko by the way he knew how to pace his breath. A slight memory ran through his head; back from the night where Zuko had pretended to be the Blue Spirit in order to capture Aang back from Zhao. True, he had wanted the Avatar for selfish reasons, but in the end, it had been Aang who had saved him and when Zuko awoke the young boy had asked him if they would have been friends if they had met way back before the War began. Peeking out from beneath one of his lids, Zuko thought that that might just be possible now that they were an alliance instead of ruthless enemies.

Then, there had been that time weeks ago when he had been rescued from the wilderness of the North Pole. There had been no one else who would have even considered saving their captor, but Aang had done so. It was then that Zuko realized that Aang really would be a truly great and completely unbiased Avatar.

Zuko cleared his throat and turned to face Aang-the boy just didn't understand the meaning of aggression, but then he really didn't know what to expect from an ancient Air Nomad Monk. "Here," Zuko took one of Aang's wrists in his strong hand and positioned it tightly at his side. With a frown, he wondered if he had been that difficult to train at Aang's age. Aang watched and allowed himself to be manipulated into the correct stance.

The whole situation was hard for the boy to comprehend or even grasp. Only a few weeks prior to that moment, Aang would have done anything in his power to get away from the banished Prince now teaching him Fire Bending. From the expression on Zuko's face, Aang could tell he was having similar ideas running through his mind. "Um…Zuko?" came his meek voice. Zuko looked up as if startled from a daydream-though that could not have been possible since he was busy concentrating on the last few minor adjustments of Aang's legs. The younger boy took that as his cue to continue talking, "Well…I just wanted to say…thanks." Aang gave one of his big, goofy, nervous grins, "For teaching me Fire Bending and…_not_ trying to kill or capture me any more," he followed up his jumbled words with a shaky giggle.

Zuko stood as the younger boy spoke. It was the second time that day that he was at a complete loss of words. It was as if Aang had read his thoughts while Zuko had reminisced of the numerous times the Avatar had saved his own life-and how he had deep inside known that the right thing to do was to thank him. The fact of the matter was that Zuko, himself, was no good at thanking anyone. So, instead of causing yet another fiasco with the words he seemed completely incompetent in uttering, Zuko just gave a grunt in agreement and held his palm out to Aang. The young boy looked at him quizzically, "What do you-" Aang began, but was instantly cut off when he saw a flicker of fire produce in the center of Zuko's hand. "You have the stance and breathing, so why not try to work with the fire as well?"

Aang straightened up, "Really? Already?" "Don't break stance!" commanded Zuko and the young Avatar returned to the ready position. "Only because I can tell you have had some training prior to this," he continued. "Yeah, but-" "Who is the teacher here?" Zuko interrupted Aang, "Do you want to learn Fire Bending or not?" With that, Aang shut his mouth tightly. Zuko waited to make sure that he would not be interrupted again and then he held his hand out to Aang for the second time. "You probably won't be able to create fire for a while, but you might just be able to manipulate it," Zuko's other hand hovered above the flame. Aang's eyes grew wide with wonder as the older boy's fingers flicked back and forth across the flame, seemingly causing it to dance.

"This type of Bending comes from deep within-from the very core of the being. The stance you are in right now is for optimal breath enhancement and strength," Zuko's hand left the flame and it was alive on its own again, elevated ever so slightly above his palm. "You try now," Zuko said calmly. Aang opened his mouth to protest, but was once again interrupted, "Breathe from the very back of your throat so you can feel it throughout your body," Aang did as he was told and held his breath in. "Now put your hand above the flame," the Avatar's hand hung hesitantly above the small fire contained on Zuko's hand, "Focus on what it is you want the flame to do. As you exhale use slight and deliberate movements of your wrist and fingers to will the fire to do your bidding."

From her position yards away from where Zuko and Aang were, Zana continued to stare on as a banished, teenage Prince attempted teaching the boy Avatar to Fire Bend. She was still unable to tell exactly what it was that Zuko was saying to Aang, but she didn't really need to. She just flashed back to her own very first Fire Bending lesson. She was told how dangerous and powerful fire could be at the same time and how, if one used it correctly to his or her advantage, there would be no competition in any battle.

She kept on watching as Aang put his hand over the glow in Zuko's hand. She found herself wondering if Zuko would actually allow Aang to work with fire at his very first lesson. Zana remained unblinking as Aang's actions cause the glow to flicker more than a normal flame, indicating that he had successfully manipulated the fire. She grinned to herself. As she looked on, Katara walked up beside her. Standing over Zana, she spoke, "You are staring," she said it with a giggle. Zana averted her gaze quickly to face Katara, and, if she wasn't mistaken, there was a blush on the sitting girl's cheeks. "Oh, well it is a once in a lifetime thing to see-an Avatar learning a Bending art," Zana stood and brushed herself off. Sokka had long since ended their conversation in order to find something to eat and Zana had been left to her own devices: which she chose to stare and gape at Zuko…

Katara nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I just never in a million years thought that it would be Zuko who taught Aang Fire Bending." Katara patted Momo who was happily perched atop her shoulder."Things change…" Zana said, but frowned afterwards-recalling how she had hoped so much that Zuko would have changed enough to tell her three simple words. "What's wrong?" Katara looked into the other girl's normally bright eyes that were becoming clouded with emotion. "Oh, absolutely nothing," Zana responded. She was making all attempts not to reveal what had gone on between her and Zuko back when they had snuck off into the forest earlier. Now that she began to think about it, Zana thought the whole thing seemed childish-they were warriors and they really should have started acting like them, but there was something nagging inside of her that screamed otherwise.

"I am just a little run down from traveling-my scars are kind of sore," Zana hated lieing to her friend, but it was the only way she could think of to put Katara's mind at ease. "You know..." Katara began somewhat apprehensively, "my offer still stands about trying to heal all of your scars..." She waited to be snapped at, but all Zana said was, "No, but thank you again. It's kind of like they are some sort of reminder that-I don't know-that the past is really real and that no matter what happens, it follows you." There was a sorrowful expression on Katara's face, "That's so sad..." Zana gave a cheeful smile and dismissed the Water Bender's simpathy with a wave of her hand, "Everyone has something that they regret or that is painful." "Maybe some more than others," Katara made a subconscious gesture towards Zuko. "Right, but there is always a way to supress it, but no matter what, it is always in the back of your mind," Zana spoke quietly. She spun and quickly redirected the uncomfortable conversation to something a little lighter, "So, has Sokka returned with any food yet?" "Please..._my_ brother-returning unscathed and in timely manner _with_ food?" laughed Katara. Zana snickered as well, "Yeah, guess you're right. When do you think we should expect him? One hour-two tops?" The Water Bender rolled her eyes in jest as they both walked over to Iroh, "I'm thinking not until Zuko flushes him out with flaming death threats!" With that, both girls were laughing as if they had nothing to worry about-no future hardships to endure.

Iroh looked up tofind the cause of the approaching laughter to see Zana and Katara walking towards him. He gave a wide smile in a greeting, "What is all this laughter about?" Zana came up beside him, "Oh, nothing-" "Just some self-inflicted anguish," finished Katara and both girls continued to release ringing laughter.

There was an aggravated noise that came from the river's edge. All three of them turned to see that it had come from Zuko. He had been attempting to teach something to Aang, but it was obvious that it was not working. Zana felt her heart sink. Earlier, Zuko had been so patient with Aang that her hopes had soared for some sort of a reconcilliation with him, but that was all overshadowed by the fact that Zuko's slightly pissed off frame was now approaching their small group.

_He just refuses to listen to me!_ Zuko growled inside, though he knew that it was untrue by the similarly frustrated look on the young Avatar's face. Zuko had been attempting to show him a manipulative sequence that he would be able to use withouthaving to produce his own fire, but no matter how hard Zuko tried, he was completely unable to make Aang understand that he had to use much stronger moves than that of a Water or Air Bender. "I'm sorry," came the younger boy's slightly annoyed voice, "I'll keep practicing!" Zuko gave a half-way sympathetic sigh, "Look, we'll just...try again later." Zuko gave a rough scoff and turned away from Aang. From behind him, the younger boy shouted, "But I know I can do it!" Zuko spun around to face him, "There is no point in doing something if you are just going to end up hurting yourself because you act more like a defensive fighter than an offensive one!" he snapped a little louder than he had intended to. In teaching the Avatar some minor Fire Bending skills, Zuko had hoped to release some of the pent up tension inside of him, but all that had happened was for more anger to well up inside. He felt like there was just no way for him to catch a break, but that feeling was nothing new to him. With the look on Aang's face, Zuko apologized-but in his own way, of course, "We can try this again later, but let's eat first...you need to keep your strength up if you are even thinking of going at it again." Zuko turned away from Aang again and proceeded to head back to the rest of the group who were all situated around the fire.

The Fire Bender tensly rubbed the palm of one of his hands across his forehead. There were the makings of a major headache there and all it took was one more thing to throw Zuko off. He looked up to see only three other humans and one Flying Lemur staring back. Zuko stood up straighter, "Where is the Wat-Sokka?" He noticed Zana sit back and look away and Katara spoke for her, "He went out looking for food." The young man raised an apprehensive eyebrow, "How long ago was that?" The Water Bender squinted up at the sun, "Oh, he left only a little while after you started showing Aang Fire Bending," she gave a little snicker and gestured to the girl beside her, "I guess he got tired of having a one-sided conversation with Zana, here." Zuko glanced out of the corner of his eye to try and see if there was any hint of Zana not hating him as much as he thought she did, but all he got in return was a cold shun that, surprisingly to Zuko, stung a shocking amout.

Aang walked up beside him. Zuko spoke, "You allowed that _dolt_ to wander off on his own," he gave a muted and dumbfounded laugh from the back of his throat, "We won't be seeing him for a while." Iroh stared up, wide-eyed, at his nephew, "And you are not mad that we will not be leaving as soon as you had hoped?" Zuko elicited a groan from the depth of his chest, "No, no. I will..." he sighed,"try to refocus." He uncharastically streatched his hands above his head and stepped a few paces back from Aang and the group where he proceeded to close his eyes and prepare to go through the basic body movements of Fire Bending.

Zana looked away from Zuko and the only way she was able to do so was by averting her eyes in Katara's direction. She watched as Momo reached down and grasped something that hung around the Water Bender's neck. "Momo! Stop that," Katara laughed and brushed the animal's tiny hand away. As she did so, Zana was able to see what it was Momo had been so interested in-it was askillfully crafted necklace. "Wow, that's really beautiful. Water Tribe craftsmenship?" Zana spoke up-she may have been a warrior, but she was still a teenage girl who could appreciate nice things once in a while. Katara's fingers found the trinket around her throat, "My necklace? It was my mother's..." There was a noticeably sad tone to her voice and Zana's heart went out the the girl, but she was still curious to learn more about it. "It's good that you have something so nice to remember her by. Where did she get it?" At the last question, Katara's face lit up, "It's actually an engagement necklace. It was my Gran Gran's, but my mother got it when she was to marry my father and now I have it." Katara's chin tilted upwards in Zuko's direction, "He actually held it hostage to use as a bargaining chip to get to Aang." Zana's eyes grew wide, "How did he get it?" Secretly she thought, _How could Zuko have done such a thing?_ but she kept that to herself as she eyed the young man that occupied her thoughts. He was performing a simple sequence involving an upward thrusting motion of his arms and a strong leg stance. Though she was still upset with him, Zana couldn't help but admire his grace.

Katara gave an awkward laugh, "It is actually an interesting story...it involves my being tied up and a band of rogue pirates." "Well...wow..." Zana was at a loss of words. She had never heard anything so ubsurd. "And you are still willing to travel with him after that?" "I got it back unharmed, didn't I?" Katara gave a quick smile. "True..." Zana said and completely went off into her own world as she stared at Zuko's deliberate movements.

"Do you have anything like an engagement necklace back in the Fire Nation?" Katara asked. It was her turn to be curious. Zana was taken aback by the abrupt question. "Well, not exactly...You see, most families in the Fire Nation still follow the tradition of an arranged marriage," Zana began as well as she could explain it in a way that Katara would understand. "My family, for example, was one of the families to practice that tradition," she continued. Katara leaned in closer, "I could never let my husband be chosen for me. I want to find my own." Zana gave her a brief smile, "That is not really something children are taught back in the Fire Nation-to think for themselves. Anyway..." she kept on speaking.

Zuko slyly listened to Zana and Katara's nearby conversation. It was not like he had intended to or that he didn't have anything better to do-he just was unable to get their voices out of his emptied mind as he rhythmically went through the motions he knew so well. As Zuko listened, the more he was able to decipher that they were discussing marriage. The notion of the topic caused his heart to sink deep to the very pits of his chest. He abruptly performed a stiff-legged sequence as Zana's soft voice spoke up, "So, the common case is that we are engaged at birth, but the children don't learn who it is they are to marry until they become sixteen years of age," she released a small glimmer of laughter, "Sometimes one can be betrothed to their best friend and not even know it." Zuko continued listening as he thrust one of his fists in front of him at an invisable opponent. He coyly took a step towards the conversing girls. He was unable to help it-Zuko was unbearably curious. He hadn't really heard the tradition from the point of view of the opposite sex before.

"Do these marriages work out?" Katara piped up. Zuko knew the answer even before Zana could say it aloud, "Sometimes, but there really is no choice in the matter. You are your father's property until marriage and disobedience risks banishment." She cleared her throat and continued the tradition, "You are then officially engaged at that time and then there is an exchange of dowries. It is usually where the girl receives a piece of jewelry to symbolize her betrothal and the boy, in return, receivesa great sum of gold or wealth as a welcoming to the family-" "Seems like a bribe to me," scoffed Katara. Zana made a thoughtful noise in the back of her throat, "Now that you mention it, that is actually what it seems like...Still, they are then married at eighteen and from then are on their own."

"That whole thing seems pretty harsh-no love whatsoever involved," said Katara sadly. Zana perked up, "But there can be," she sounded almost hopeful as if she was trying to convince herself, "If you're lucky-that is." Zuko spun and prepared for a complicated and balanced kick sequence. "Zana?" began the Water Bender, "Were you engaged before you were banished?" The question was asked meekly, but it was enough for Zuko to pause for a moment and strain for the answer. Zana hesitated but asecond before replying, "I left just a short time after I turned sixteen, so...yes, I was..." The revelation caused Zuko to choke on one of his controlled breaths and trip up his legs, causing him to stumble greatly. _Zana was _engaged was all that was running over and over through Zuko's head. He quickly tried to recover by dropping down into a crouched position as if he had deliberately faltered. He glanced over his shoulder to see if either of the girls had noticed, but both had continued on to a different conversation. Zuko released an aggrivated sigh through his teeth. He felt so unbalance inside that he was worried he might just go off and have no escape route. Zuko knew he shouldn't have had those feelings-it wasn't like Zana said she had had anyemotions for her betrothed, but no matter how many times he told himself that he had no feelings even remotely like love for Zana, he kept wondering if banshment was a ground for engagement enullment...


	17. Chapter 17:Past

I hope all of you enjoyed chapter 16! I am running a little behind on my writing so I apologize for the fact that it is taking me so long to update, even though this is a slightly shorter chapter-stupid finals coming up… Well, I am really trying my best to have Zana and Zuko's relationship progress, but not without difficulties! I hope you all keep reading and reviewing (please help me in that department, I REALLY need more reviews!) I am sorry, but I wanted a little bit of a "down" chapter where not too much happens outside of Zana and Zuko's daydreams. Hopefully, this will help those of you who are having a little bit of trouble following the story because you think I have made some errors, but I haven't, I have just not been able to add certain elements until now: ) This is chapter 17 of my story!

Past

Zuko had continued his practice until the sun was high in the crystal sky, melting all shadows into the earth. After the conversation between Zana and Katara, Zuko had no longer only performed the Fire Bending moves, but enhanced and punctuated them with glowing bursts of emotionally charged flame. The scowl never left the young man's face as he went through move after move. All he was able to think about was Zana's revelation about her betrothed. Zuko released a distraught grunt as he spun out of a flaming-jump-kick. The move itself was not difficult; it was the task of keeping what he wanted so desperately to say inside, hidden.

Zana watched from a safe distance as Zuko practiced. She had not noticed any odd behavior in him until she had had her conversation with Katara. She thought that there was no way that Zuko could have overheard what they were speaking about since he had seemed so absorbed, so Zana couldn't help but wonder if Zuko was finally as upset as she had been about the encounter between them in the forest.

With Katara's question; however, a great wave of forgotten memories came flooding back. They were of the very day that one of her family's servants had been told to inform her of her betrothal, as her father was busy out chasing Aang and Zuko at the time. She was to wed an insignificant, ignorant, pompous ass of a man-though he was a skilled warrior whom she had beaten several times in her matches, it was easily apparent that the marriage was not intended for Zana's happiness, but rather to retain her family's stature while the patriarch was out trying to destroy the one person who she believed in. His name was Zult… He was the picture-perfect Fire Nation boy. He had the hereditary light skin, dark hair, was an accomplished Bender, had wealth, and was the very pride of his family. Zult was exactly what Zana did not want for her future. In her brief conversations with him, Zult had subtly denounced girls and women even being allowed to attend an Academy: that they were only there in the first place to be conditioned to look even better on their future husbands' arms.

At the memory, Zana's fists clenched her robes, but she grinned inwardly at the look that had been on Zult's face as she showed no mercy and whipped him in front of both of the Academies in a match where she retained her undefeated status. In the end, it was her betrothal to Zult that had pushed her over the brink and finally set into motion her concluding plans to return Zuko to the throne. It was just enough to urge her to bring a petition to the Fire Lord Ozai-a girl, just barely sixteen, was the first ever to stand up to the ruler of the warring Fire Nation… Zana quickly snapped out of her unpleasant daydream at the sound of Katara's voice. She released her tight-gripped hold on her clothing and turned towards the sound of the Water Bender's chipper timbre. She was talking to Iroh about something that was obviously funny by the glimmering tone to the words they were speaking. Zana secretly wondered what it was they had been discussing…if they would let her join in, because she couldn't handle any more agonizing trips to her past.

Iroh watched as Katara walked away from him. They had been talking about irony of them now traveling in such a tight-knit group after having despised each other for so very long. The older man turned to find Zana. He saw her casually rub her eyes as she looked away from the practicing Zuko. Iroh could not help but wonder what it was that had been bothering her. He knew that something had happened between the two banished teens, but he was unable to pinpoint exactly what it had been. Iroh opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again; unable to find the words he wanted to say at first, but he tried again, calling out to the solitary teen girl, "Zana, my dear," she glanced over in his direction and he spoke again, "Why not keep an old man company?" Zana obeyed Iroh and stood up, _Spirits I hope this is not another attempt to get Zuko and me together…I don't think I can handle it today…_ she thought. Zana willed herself to paint a fake smile upon her lips, "How are you doing, Iroh? Not too tired after traveling so much the past few days?" It was a feeble attempt at small talk, but Iroh did not fall for it. He patted the gravel beside him, "Sit, before I get a crick in my neck from looking up at you." The Double Bender hesitated only for an instant before sitting beside Iroh.

She proceeded to pull her knees to her chest and wrap her arms around her legs in a very defensive position. It was, more or less, a subconscious warning to Iroh that she was not in the mood at all for another of his humorous encounters about her love life. The older man seemed to take the hint and chose his words carefully, "I see that you are not really yourself today…Are you feeling alright?" Zana sat up a little straighter and gave a faded frown, "Well, yes I-I don't know…" She seemed upset and confused about something. Carefully avoiding the topic of Zuko, Iroh asked, "Is it something that you need to talk about?" Zana shifted away from him slightly, "Sir," she faced him, "With all do respect…I do not think that you would understand…" Zana looked away from Iroh once again and rested her chin on her raised knees.

Iroh gave an almost inaudible sigh, "Why don't you try me and I will truthfully tell you if I don't understand." Zana didn't move, she stayed frozen as if she had not heard Iroh's words. Her piercing eyes focused on a particularly dark rock beside one of her feet to help distract her from the conversation she did not want to be having. It was something childish to do, but Zana suddenly did not want to be nearly seventeen with all the responsibilities of someone more than two times her age.

She was still able to feel Iroh's searching eyes on her, no matter how much she disliked the sensation. "Zana?" came the older man's voice. It was so kindly that Zana's heart began to melt when she realized just how cruel she was being to Iroh. All he was trying to do was ease the pain he saw in her and there she was, shunning him as if he had been the one who had hurt her. Reluctantly, Zana turned her head to look into Iroh's face. "I know that it is difficult for you to talk about certain things-as I have had much experience in that area with Zuko, but know that I have been an adequate confidant for my Nephew and that I am more than willing to do so for you, my dear." His gentle words struck a major cord inside of her. Zana had never known such kindness from a person of a greater age than her. It was then that she realized why Zuko was so close to his Uncle-Iroh was more of a father to him than Ozai and Zana came to the conclusion that she could use the same kind of love at that point in her life.

Without another thought the Double Bender leaned over and buried her face in Iroh's robes covering his shoulder. She felt him startle at the unexpected contact between them, but he relaxed and allowed her to rest there. He was unused to someone actually taking his advice the first time around and it was a nice change. Iroh smiled, and inside thought of how much Zana really had going on inside of her that was just begging to be released. With the last thought, he placed a large arm atop one of the girl's narrow shoulders; hoping in some way to comfort her problems-whatever they were-without pressing for any more obviously painful explanations.

The soft fabric of Iroh's tunic caressed Zana's cheek as Zuko had earlier. She couldn't help but let a tear or two escape and dampen the cloth. Inside, Zana prayed that no one would see that momentary bout of weakness, but she knew that Iroh would not tell anyone. She was so thankful for that that she was unable to find words. Her heart yearned for her to tell Iroh about her and Zuko…about how she thought she might love his one and only nephew, and about how she was still tortured by her father's actions though he was so far away doing who-knew-what, and that she knew that, deep down, Zuko returned every bit of her feelings: but all Zana did was bury her face deeper into the shoulder of Iroh's tunic.

As soon as she felt she had regained enough control over herself, Zana sat back up as straight as she had been sitting earlier and briskly wiped away the tearstains around her eyes before Iroh or anyone else could catch sight of them. It was bad enough for her to be obviously upset, let alone go around shedding tears on the shoulders of anyone willing to try to give her a little bit of comfort. Zana was sick of feeling sorry for herself when she had spent so long attempting to convince her head and heart that there was no reason to. Her lungs released a largely pent up breath that she had not realized she had been holding. Turning again to face Iroh with a stone-cold face that matched one of Zuko's, Zana stood as she spoke, "I thank you, Iroh, for your kindness…but there is really nothing the matter with me. I think, if I had to say something, that it would be the anticipation of returning to the Fire Nation in such a short period of time that would be causing me to contemplate so strongly…" The response was wordy, but it sufficed for that moment.

Iroh's face remained unchanging while the teenage girl about-faced on her heel and briskly walked away. The older man reached up and his fingertips grazed the place where Zana's face had been. He was slightly surprised to find dampness there. It was at that moment that Iroh realized that Zana had a lot more going on in her head than the issues she had with Zhao, Zuko, and the Fire Nation. There was a deeper-rooted pain that was obviously held fast against the weathering of time. His gray brows furrowed deeper than his age showed and he came to the conclusion that he would talk to Zuko about the whole issue later-that was if he even knew something about what was going on. If the talking had not helped Zana, herself, then Iroh at least hoped that it would have cleared her mind so there would be no distractions clouding her judgment once they finally reached the Fire Nation.

The rest of the afternoon carried on much as it already had: Zuko trained until he could no longer concentrate, Sokka was still out looking for food, and Zana kept mostly to herself as Katara and Aang chatted amongst themselves. With an aggravated grunt, Zuko dropped to his knees at the river's edge. His legs were just barely clear of the water as he dipped his cupped hands into the running liquid. He held his hands there for a moment; allowing the cooling water to quell the heat that had grazed his palms from the many Fire Bending moves he had used. Using his hands to bring the water up to his face, Zuko briefly glanced over his shoulder to see what it was the others were doing before dousing his already damp face. The feeling was crisp and refreshing and, for only a second, washed away the words that had been repetitively screaming across his mind.

Standing up again, Zuko wiped his sleeve across his face and turned away from the glittering river. He had been "practicing" for well over an hour to help mask his confusion induced anger, but it had worked in moment and not after he had finished. Zuko searched for his Uncle in the small group and traced him back to a relaxed spot a little further away from the others and near to the shady tree line.

The young man coolly strode over to his Uncle and dropped down beside him. Zuko ran his fingers stiffly through his growing hair and stared out at the flowing water only feet away. "So, Nephew, did you release some of that pent-up aggression you had?" Iroh asked without turning towards him. Zuko spun his head to face him and gave a wild-looking frown, "Who said that I was angry?" he demanded. Iroh calmly faced his obviously fuming nephew, "I never said that you were angry, Zuko…all I _did_ say was that you had some pent-up aggression. Nothing more…" Iroh contemplated bringing Zana up as a topic, but thought better of it. Instead, he cautiously started, "Though I know that we have not traveled as far as you had hoped today, maybe we should stay here for the night. I can tell that tensions are already high with weariness and that Water Tribe boy is not yet back from searching for food." Iroh's stomach let out a perfectly timed growl, "And…maybe if he is not back soon…we can go and look for him and possibly get some more of our own?"

Zuko's eyes rolled at his dramatic uncle and stood back up with an exasperated sigh. "Where are you running off to, Nephew?" Iroh looked up at Zuko. Without turning his eyes downward to his uncle, he spoke in a monotone voice-masking all emotion, "I guess I have to go look for that idiot of a warrior or we will never be on our way."

"But what makes you so certain that he needs to be found?" Iroh asked. Zuko's amber eyes were trained on the river as he released a small snicker from the back of his throat, "Please, Sokka in the woods for hours looking for food is bad enough, but him all alone is a completely different story. Besides, he couldn't have gotten that far…"He waited for a snotty retort from the older man relaxing on the pebbles, but none came.At this, a slightly surprised Zuko looked downwards and was met by Iroh's dark eyes, "Just so long as you are as careful as you can be, Nephew." There was a cloud of easily identifiable concern hovering around him, but it was understandable-Zuko was all Iroh had left in the world; not to mention that he seemed like more of a son than a nephew to him.

As a last hope just before Zuko began to walk away, Iroh called up to him, "Well, why not take Zana with you? I am sure that she would be of use if you find yourself in any trouble," he hinted, hoping to get some sort of jugement as to what had heppened between the teens. There was a flicker of a frown that crossed Zuko's face, but it was nothing more, "I don't need her...she will be fine here without me."The last words seemed to be painful, but as they still hung in the air between them, Zuko disappeared into the dim and shady light beneath the forest's canopy.


	18. Chapter 18:Woods

WOW! I am SOOO far behind in my chapters that I can't even think straight anymore! Yeah, I went on a HUGE road-trip from northern Illinois to Texas! NO COMPUTER ON THE ROAD! Ahhh, please don't kill me! I am really trying my best and I do have the entire story all played out and planned here in my head, it is just the whole process of actually making enough space to sit down and type for a good amount of time. Ok, no more excuses…Finally, here is chapter 18 of Two Against a Nation!

Zuko proceeded to nonchalantly brush aside low-hanging branches as he entered the forest. The dim light enclosed him like a shroud as he stepped forward and allowed his piercing eyes to adjust. Giving an angry sigh, Zuko trudged further into the trees. Looking for Sokka was the last thing he wanted to be doing at that point. It was hard for him to concentrate and hone his senses for any sign at all of the Water Tribe boy. Even though the day was only about half over, his mind wandered to everything that had already happened. He and Zana had been through an ongoing fight that seemed impossible to end without Zuko losing his power and pride or, possibly, more; they had lost one of their traveling members, and there was actually a little glimmer pricking the back of his mind at the possibility of Zana's unavailability…

Placing a flat palm against the rough bark of an ancient tree to steady himself as he stood atop a slanting and fallen moss-covered branch, Zuko listened. He knew that Sokka was not the stealthiest of people, so it would not be that hard to locate him. The teenager brought his other hand to his eyes to aid in seeing through the occasional shafts of light that broke through the canopy high above.

Some sort of a flying creature gave a great cry from somewhere above Zuko. It was proof that no matter where he went, he was unable to truly be alone. Hopping down gracefully from his perch, he continued onward and deeper into the forest. As his amber eyes searched for any sign of a clumsy teen, Zuko couldn't help but contemplate what he had-or rather what he _had not_ done that day. All Zana had asked from him was a few words and he had been unable to deliver them. It was such a simple, yet oddly complex situation for both of them; and then, with the addition of a betrothed for Zana back in the Fire Nation, the equation continued to grow.

Zuko went onward for well over an hour at a cautious pace when, suddenly, there was a yelp that shot through all the other din around Zuko and pierced the thoughts that had previously occupied his mind. At full alert, he stood facing the direction the cry had come from. There was not another sound and the only clue left of life was a startled, unidentifiable animal scuttling across the leaf-littered earth. Abruptly and without another thought, Zuko took off in the direction he was facing. He had no idea what he would find once he reached the cause of the cry.

Only a few scenarios had enough time to run through Zuko's spinning mind. In them, there was a Fire Nation trap and with his capture went all of the others' hope; or that instead of discovering a guise, an image of a fallen Sokka played behind his eyes.

Zuko shook his head as he began to near a slight break in the trees. He slowed and caught himself on a large tree trunk. Quelling his breath as he peered cautiously around the rough bark, his eyes grew wide at what he saw…

It was not a trap, nor was the Fire Nation even involved; but, sure enough, there was Sokka, swinging side to side and hanging upside-down from a tree by a snare…

Fighting his first impulse, Zuko stayed behind the tree and waited a second more before revealing himself. He searched for any possibility that the incident had indeed been caused by their opposing Nation-no matter how innocently ignorant it all seemed-but upon further inspection, Zuko realized they could have no more been a cause of the incident than the innocent, hidden animals that cooed all around them. Even from his distance, Zuko was able to tell how crude the rope was woven. It was made from fraying vines and bits of fabric: the typical type of twine that Zuko had seen the locals using back at the village he and Iroh had temporarily stayed at. Plus, it was so obviously a snare meant for an animal simply by where it had been placed. Sokka's flailing body was hovering just above a large shrub peppered with bunches of brightly colored and ripe berries. _So, the dolt managed to find some food after all…_ thought Zuko, but he was interrupted by a cry from the other young man, "Hey, come out! I know you're there! Come out and fight me!" _Yet he still can't seem to shut himself up,_ Zuko sighed inwardly at the sound of Sokka's pitiful attempt at bravery.

Zuko stepped out from his hiding place, "And how do you propose to do that? Whine until my ears bleed?" At the sight of Zuko sidling from behind the nearby tree, Sokka jumped in shock, causing his body to sway. In an attempt to keep his manly façade, he spoke down to Zuko, crossing his arms across his chest-despite the effort against gravity, "_Finally_ someone came! It took you long enough!" Sokka grimaced as the high parts of his cheeks tinged pinkish with the blood rushing to his skull.

All Zuko did in response was stand and examine the odd scene. "Alright, smart-ass, if you are so high-and-mighty, then why didn't you cut yourself down with that boomerang of yours?" Zuko's expression remained unchanging-he had seen the weapon on the forest floor only a few paces away and he had said what he had said to get back at the little ingrate hung from the tree. Sokka allowed his arms to give in to the pulling force exerted on them, "'Cause I dropped it," his eyes avoided Zuko's. With a slight smirk of triumph, the Fire Bender walked over to him. He snatched up the fallen boomerang and casually began to speak to Sokka, all the while keeping a stern tone of voice, "How long have you been hanging here? I heard a cry that lead me to you, so it couldn't have been long." Sokka watched all of Zuko's movements as if he were really a trapped animal and the other teen boy the hunter returning for his bounty.

"I-I don't know, a couple of hours maybe?" he said. Zuko frowned, "That's not possible, you would have been passed out a long time ago if that were true," he examined the Water Tribe craftsmanship in his hands. "True," Sokka began to argue back, "but I was able to pull myself up a little bit so that would not happen. I just couldn't hold on any longer, so I had to let go. That is probably what you heard." He showed a grin that didn't mask how pleased he was with himself. Cocking an amused eyebrow, Zuko gave a retort, "But…that takes upper-body strength…" Sokka's grin quickly melted to a very non-threatening scowl, "Ha-ha, very funny. Would you just cut me down already?" As Sokka had been griping, Zuko began to pull his arm back and he gave one powerfully smooth swipe at the dilapidated rope with the sharpened side of the boomerang, causing the Water Tribe boy to land on his back with a grunt.

"Hey! What was that for!" cried Sokka as he sat on the leafy forest floor rubbing the back of his neck. "You said you wanted me to cut you down," Zuko replied with a shrug. He was resting Sokka's boomerang against one of his shoulders and the owner stood up quickly and snatched it back defiantly. Sokka shoved it over his shoulder and into it's sling and proceeded to try to walk away from Zuko, but was abruptly halted by a trip caused by some twine still tangling his feet together. It was only a stumble, but Sokka exaggerated and, with a grunt, angrily kicked the leftover rope off to the side and continued to walk away. Barely stifling a laugh Zuko spoke, "We won't get very far if we leave now. It will be too dark to see in these dense woods soon-it will probably be best if we stay in the forest for tonight." Sokka spun around; "Stay _here_?" he cried. The whining was really beginning to get on Zuko's nerves. "What do you mean we won't be able to see in the dark? You're a human torch, aren't you? Why don't you just…start glowing or something?" Sokka nearly yelled.

Zuko began very matter-of-factly, trying everything in his power not to snap and take off Sokka's head, "When the sun goes down, I have to conserve all the energy I can…not waste it on some boy who is afraid of the dark," he started to growl as his fists clenched. He had been through enough aggravation that day and he really did not need to baby sit another teenage boy because he was too stupid as to where he would walk into a hunter's trap. Sokka scowled at Zuko's offensive remark. He was showing the most anger that Zuko had ever witnessed in to normally clumsily and passive teenager.

Sokka stormed over to Zuko and threw his arms in the air with exasperation, "Well, what about the others? They'll be worried sick!" He proceeded to glare at the Fire Bender. "Besides…we won't be able to travel any further with nearly half of the group missing," Sokka was trying to play to his weakness. Zuko's face flickered to an even greater frown, but only for a second before it melted away again. He turned from Sokka and began gathering fallen sticks and branches in his arms. Controlling his breathing, Zuko attempted to ignore the other boy's obnoxious comments.

Appalled, Sokka's jaw dropped. "Come _on_! You can't be serious!" he had been sure that his last remark would have struck home, "I didn't think you'd be that afraid of the dark…or are you just chickening out over our trip to the Fire Nation?" In the instant of a half-heartbeat, Zuko's free fist was clenched around Sokka's throat. His teeth bared as his amber eyes bored into Sokka's terrified blue ones. The Water Tribe boy's fear at his realization that he had crossed the line was apparent in every one of his features.

So many scenarios of his own death ran through Sokka's frantic mind as he stared at the gruesome scar masking nearly half of Zuko's face. He had never seen the Fire Lord before, but he assumed that the face he was gaping at during those few moments was nearly an exact replica. Sokka was in such a panic that he hardly realized it when Zuko finally flung his arm from his neck and growled deeply, saying, "You can't comprehend…" And with that, as if nothing had happened between them, Zuko went back to retrieving wood for the nightly fire.

Still in shock, Sokka's hand went to his throat to see if he actually still was alive. There had been so much anger and strength behind Zuko's grip that Sokka had continued to doubt his survival. The whole idea was that the Fire Bender hadn't really harmed him or killed him; it was all merely a scare to make him shut up, but the words that Zuko had uttered kept playing in his head…_You can't comprehend_. He couldn't help but wonder what he had meant by that and thought that there must have been something that he was missing to cause such sporadic behavior. Sokka began to regain his composure and shook his head. If it had been a few weeks ago, Sokka was sure that he would have been dead on the spot, and then there was the whole situation with the unusual tension hanging in the camp. Sokka was mostly dense, but not stupid and he was able to get the basic gist that there was something definitely awry.

Zuko glared at the sticks in his grasp as he continued to collect more and more as a sort of ploy to not have to look at Sokka. It was more so to save the Water Tribe boy's life than anything else. _Is he really _that_ stupid to try to instigate a fight with me?_ Zuko mentally yelled, _I could snap his neck and burn him to a crisp faster than I grabbed his throat!_ Zuko's teeth squeaked together as they ground.

Finally realizing that he could no longer carry any more, the Fire Bender turned back to the still stunned Sokka and dropped his minute burden at his feet. All the other teen did was hold his arms closer to his chest and tense up. With a mere flick of his wrist, Zuko caused the sticks and branched to burst into flames. The sudden pyrotechnics surprised the already jumpy Sokka and he nearly fell backwards splayed out as the flames licked his tunic. _You could have warned me first!_ he mentally screamed at Zuko, but there finally seemed to be a filter between his head and his mouth because he had stopped himself from saying those words aloud. Instead, Sokka submissively dropped to the ground and awaited another probably inevitable confrontation with Zuko.

The Fire Bender did not sit like Sokka, however. Zuko continued to stand with his arms crossed stiffly over his chest. He soon grew antsy and shifted every few seconds. All Sokka could do was watch in confusion. He had never seen the usually either centered or enraged Zuko act as if he had something that was truly bothering him both inwardly and outwardly.

Uneasily, Sokka sat back and averted his gaze from Zuko. The Fire Bender had been correct-it was already beginning to become difficult to see just a few feet away from his body. Despite the flickering fire, it still seemed as if the dense woods were swallowing up every snatch of light they could. It gave Sokka a very cold feeling, causing him to shudder slightly. _Man, I wish we were back with Katara and Aang and…Zana! _ Sokka came to a realization. It had been Zuko who had come looking for him and not the kinder Fire Bender. It was a little weird and made Sokka wonder why she hadn't been the one to save him.

Sokka stole a glance up at the ex-Prince of the Fire Nation. He looked even more uptight than usual and had been obviously avoiding Zana. Clearing his throat none-too-subtly, Sokka sat back against a nearby rock and crossed his arms in amusement…Zuko was acting more or less the way he and Yue had been back at the North Pole-not to mention him and Suki.

Zuko felt the other teen's eyes staring right through him. His own amber ones looked over to glare at Sokka, but he was met only by a cocky, self-satisfied grin. _What's he so pleased with himself over?_ Zuko thought. His teeth began to grit. Soon, he wasn't able to take the awkward silence and uneasy glaring that was taking place. "What are you staring at?" Zuko growled though clenched teeth that matched his fists. He had already threatened the Water Tribe boy once and he had no qualms about repeating himself. _Maybe,_ Zuko thought,_ Sokka really is too dense to get anything the first time…_ Sokka was simply sitting there, grinning like the idiot he was. Suddenly, he spoke up, "I don't know why it wasn't this blatantly obvious before." Sokka proceeded to pause for drama as he shook his head from side to side.

The flames danced across both their faces and played off Zuko's scar. The Fire Bender couldn't help but wonder if Sokka had indeed finally lost it. Zuko decided to give him a slight benefit of the doubt for that matter only. Then, Sokka spoke again-damning every ounce of salvation the other teen had been willing to offer, "It was just right there…You and," he was cut off by his own voice bubbling to a snicker, "Zana have a _thing_!" Sokka had sputtered the last words as if they had been the funniest things he had ever uttered.

Practically leaping forward over the fire without another moment of hesitation or thought, Zuko grasped the collar of Sokka's tunic, wrenched him to his feet, and pulled his other flaming fist back as if he were going to strike the Water Tribe teen. It was the second time in a matter of minutes that they were in that predicament.

Sokka's face grimaced in a flinch, but he quickly recovered when he realized he had, in fact, hit yet another chord. Playing to his newfound bravery, he smiled directly into the face of his attacker, "I wouldn't do that if I were you…" Zuko glared back, "Why shouldn't I? I saved your sorry ass and what do I get in return but a mocking attitude!" The fiery fist was shoved closer to the tender flesh on the side of Sokka's throat. He swallowed deeply, feeling the heat, "B-because if you do, you'll have a pretty pissed Avatar and Water Bender on your tail…not to mention Zana." From the look that flickered behind Zuko's furious eyes, Sokka knew that he had finally found a way to better the Fire Bender. With a great snarl, Zuko released Sokka, extinguished his hand, and stormed to the opposite side of the fire. The Water Tribe warrior gave a lengthy sigh of relief and satisfaction in triumph as he watched Zuko struggle with a way to redeem his façade. Suddenly, the Fire Bender spun around, causing Sokka to jump a little in surprise, "I should have left you tied to that tree!" he cried. "Probably," Sokka gave a lopsided smile, "but you didn't. Maybe that's one of the redeeming qualities you have that allows a girl like Zana to like you?" Zuko was about to yell a retort, but he bit his tongue. He didn't want to give the other teen any more power than he already thought he had.

Patiently, Sokka counted to ten before speaking again; and by that time, Zuko had huffed off as far away as possible with his face left only half lit by the fire. "So, what happened between you two lately that you're not speaking to each other?" he asked Zuko in an innocent voice. Sokka saw Zuko's shoulders move as if he were cringing from a physical attack and not a verbal inquiry. The Fire Bender blinked hard, trying his best to think of how to respond. "I told you to shut up about that!" Zuko spat as he sat up straighter, "There's nothing!"

There was a new emotion washing over the Water Tribe warrior that he never thought he would ever feel towards any Fire Bender, let alone Zuko-pity. Sokka was not only able to see anger, but confusion and hurt there as well. As he continued to silently study Zuko, the Fire Bender had settled back with his arms stiffly crossing his chest. He had decided to ignore Sokka as much as possible to avoid the pleasure of wringing his neck.

_I'm falling apart!_ Zuko thought to himself, _I can't do so much as glance in Zana's direction without her looking away and things are so awkward that the "group idiot" can see something going on! What is wrong with me? If I am unable to focus on what is _really_ important, then I am completely fucked._ He mentally screamed at his own actions while a frown burrowed deeper into his features. Zuko was thankful that Sokka had finally shut up and he felt secure enough to bring his hands to his face and touch the beginnings of a great headache.

There was the sound of Sokka clearing his throat and Zuko looked over at it. "What now?" he yelled. Almost meekly, Sokka spoke, "Well, why don't you want anyone to know about your relationship?" Zuko gave an exasperated groan and lay down as he pressed his palms into his eyes. "It was just a question," Sokka said, "I'm not getting something here-" Zuko turned his head and glared at the other teen's dark shape across the fire. He was nearly exhausted with this pointless argument, "Fine! Enlighten me, just so long as it will make you shut up!"

"First of all," Sokka began happily, having finally been given a chance to speak without fear of being burned to a crisp, "and going against everything that I have ever taught Aang, the aloofness does not work. If you two like each other, then there shouldn't be a problem in showing it. Then, the whole not talking to one another is not helping either-" Zuko listened to a few more things that had raced across his mind hundreds of times before as his anger built up.

When he finally couldn't take it anymore, Zuko sat up and faced Sokka, "What do you know about this topic? What gives you the right to speak to me about this?" he yelled. That cut Sokka completely off guard and he shut up immediately. The Water Tribe warrior's eyes became an icy, steel blue. "Did you ever once stop and think that the Fire Nation-that Zhao has hurt more than yourself?" Sokka growled. Zuko had never seen such anger in Sokka and it surprised him. "I was just like you, all-'I'll pretend I don't like her and that is exactly how I will get the girl,' but that is all wrong. I had someone, and she was taken away from me," Sokka had no idea why he was opening up so abruptly to Zuko-the Fire Bender who had nearly killed him and most everything else he had cared for on multiple occasions, but he continued. "_Yue_ is gone because I couldn't stop Zhao…and maybe, just maybe, if she and I had resolved things a little sooner, I could have been there for her…"

Zuko had no idea why, but Sokka suddenly looked upwards to the sky as if he was going to see some type of apparition, but the tree-cover hid any sign of the sky. All the Fire Bender could do was sit and gauge the hurt constantly crossing Sokka's face. The warrior turned back to Zuko, "Once I found out who Zana's father was, it was difficult to cope with at first, but you shouldn't misplace pain and aggression on others because it just leads to more confusion and hurt coupled with those who don't deserve it."

Everything took a second for Zuko to completely absorb, but he finally realized that Sokka had been, more so, speaking directly to him rather than to himself…and the Fire Bender found himself agreeing with every word. It came as a little bit of a shock because Zuko had thought that nothing intelligent could have ever come from Sokka's being, but the more Zuko thought about it, the more he realized that that had been exactly how he had been acting.

Zuko was distraught over his banishment and outlaw status and it was putting a strain on the way he acted around Zana. She made him feel like a whole new person-like none of it had ever happened. That was why, he figured, he had attempted to pressure Zana into doing "something" that she had not been willing to do just yet. Suddenly, he became very aware of his surroundings and felt Sokka's eyes seemingly boring holes through his flesh. Zuko, slightly self-consciously, cleared his throat and Sokka spoke, "Do you get what I mean?" The sound of his voice was thick with remembered pain and sympathy.

Inside, Zuko felt sorry for the other teen for having had to suffer through something like that, but no matter how his curiosity urged him, he refused to inquire deeper into Sokka's grim love life. Zuko looked away from his sad eyes and up to the canopy. He couldn't help but feel a slight kinship with the other teen. With a very slight grunt, Sokka stood up and dropped back down once he reached Zuko's side. The Fire Bender looked over, a little surprised at his bravery and sudden appearance. His face was still a mask of apathy, but his amber eyes gave how he really felt away with just a slight slip.

With a quirky grin that returned his features back to normal, Sokka gave a barely audible laugh, "So…how is she?" Zuko frowned, "What are you talking about?" he was still on that last one-sided conversation. "I mean," Sokka gave a mischievous smile, "is she a good kisser? Like I am ever going to know with a girl like Zana." Zuko felt a redness creep up the back of his neck and reach his ears. As Sokka raised his eyebrows expectantly, Zuko cleared his throat and laid back with his hands behind his head, "One shouldn't kiss and tell…" He suppressed a grin while Sokka's eyes grew wide and his own fiery ones slid closed.


	19. Chapter 19:Worry

Now that I am FINALLY caught up on my chapters (yay!) I can work ahead a little. I hope that all of you guys like this chapter-I know that it is a little short, but it is more of a passage chapter than a major one, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE read and review! I need the feedback!

Worry

Zuko had had a restless night after Sokka had finally shut up. He had tossed and turned over and over again, well into the night. After he had been able to catch a few snippets of sleep here and there, he awoke to what he believed to be dawn-though the dense woods still prohibited any morning light to seep through the woven branches. Zuko suddenly felt anger towards the lush forest as he felt it was purposefully denying him his strength that was owed to him after such an aggravating night. He felt unreasonably worn out and his limbs all felt weak. He hated that feeling…

Zukorighted himselfwith a cemented frown upon his face and stood-his back aching from so many consecutive nights on the hard ground. _I feel three times my age…_ thought Zuko with a scowl. He had had too many sparring and battle injuries for his own good and he had not thought about it at the time, but at that moment he knew he would be paying for it later in life.

He looked down to the snoring, heaving frame of the other teen. Sokka was on his side with his hands clutching his Water Tribe weapons. It was an amusing sight, but, after the previous night, Zuko couldn't help but have a slight amount of admiration for him. Extending his taut arms above his head, Zuko nudged Sokka's raised shoulder with the side of his boot, "Hey! It's morning."

Clumsily and still more than half asleep, Sokka lashed out over his back with his club at the "thing" that had woken him up way too early. He ended up missing with it and hit himself in his own back with a yelp. Zuko hung his hands from the back of his neck as he barely stifled a snicker as the other teen dropped his weapon and rubbed at the bruise that was probably already forming near his spine.

After a few more minutes of those antics, Sokka finally sat up. Bleary eyed and dazed, he glared up at Zuko, "What was that for?" With nothing more than a slight snicker, Zuko raised an eyebrow, "All I did was wake you up. I wasn't the one who hit himself with his own club."

Rolling his eyes, Sokka flopped back down as if he hadn't slept in days, "I'm sooooo hungry!" he whined, "I didn't even get to eat those berries that I found yesterday…" Dramatically, Sokka covered his face with his hands as if he had an audience of more than Zuko and a few forest creatures lurking throughout the shadows. With a sigh of greater anger than he had anticipated, Zuko urged Sokka to his feet with a, "Come on!" The previously slouched teen obeyed and stood-not wanting another night like the last one. Sokka gathered his belongings and slung them into their places in the pack across the width of his back. When he was done, he looked over at Zuko. The Fire Bender gestured in the direction that he had found Sokka hanging from a tree. The Water Tribe warrior raised an eyebrow in confusion. Zuko rolled his eyes, "You said you were hungry, so go ahead and eat!" Without another thought, Sokka dashed off for the food.

It was a while before Sokka had finally eaten his fill and by that time some dappled light was able to seep through the trees' dense leaves. Zuko was leaning up against a rough tree-trunk and watching his hand dart in and out of a shaft of light. That little bit of sun was all he had needed to feel better, but he still could not wait to return to the brightly lit campsite and…Zana-he realized. All the things that Sokka had revealed to Zuko that night had really made him want to get back to the others as soon as he was able to.

Zuko looked up again to see Sokka stomping back over to him. "Hey, uh, thanks for letting me eat," the Water Tribe warrior said as he licked his purple-stained fingertips with smacks. Zuko gave him no response and instead righted himself and began to walk off in the direction he had come from when he had been looking for the ensnared Sokka. The other teen followed closely behind as the two of them slowly made their way back to the camp and, hopefully, some acceptations of apologies.

Zana looked around, but there was no sign of Zuko. As a matter of fact, no one had seen him in hours and the sky was beginning to grow to a dim purple with highlights of pink and red. Iroh had told her where Zuko had gone off to, and no matter how confused she was over the whole messed up situation with Zuko, Zana couldn't help but worry. She continued to stare at the edge of the forest, willing both teenage boys to stagger out of the woods unharmed. None of it happened.

The sun had fully set beyond the bleeding horizon and she and the others began to settle in for the night. Katara left Aang and Momo to their antics and she joined Zana by the usual fire. "I am kind of getting worried about Sokka. It's getting late and who knows what kind of trouble he could have found," the Water Bender said with a lilt of concern in her voice. She looked up at Zana from beneath her dark lids: she was waiting for the Double Bender to contribute something to the conversation. Katara was hoping to find some material with which to judge just how bad her fight with Zuko had been, but Zana refused to oblige and only gave a curt grunt. She remained silent and stared at the flickering flames, as Katara had seen Zuko do many nights before. _Must be a Fire Bender thing…_ she thought with a flitting smile.

Katara adjusted herself to make it more comfortable to sit there, or at least as comfortable as one can be positioned on a roughly pebbled beach. She looked over to see Momo and Aang chase each other around in a wide circle. Without turning her head, she said with a giggle, "It's hard to believe that he is the one who is supposed to be able to save the world…" Zana actually broke her staring match with the fire to look up at what Katara had been talking about. Her crystal eyes locked onto the young Avatar and his little companion. He was just a kid and he already had so much on his shoulders, yet Aang always seemed so cheerful and optimistic. Zana couldn't help but wonder why she and Zuko were just a few years older and had more bitterness in one limb than Aang had in his entire being and they had not nearly as much responsibility.

Zana was nearly jealous of how carefree Aang was when he had so much to think about in both the near and far future. She turned to make actual eye contact with Katara, "He's so happy now, so why did he disappear for so long?" Katara's eyebrows raised, "Aang? Well, he never really wanted to be the Avatar. The were going to take him away from his best friend and he wanted none of it-" The Water Bender continued to explain how she and Sokka had discovered Aang and Appa encased in the huge iceberg the young Avatar had created in order to protect them. How it had somehow shielded them for all those decades from aging and the elements. "I guess when you are the Avatar, anything is possible," Katara smiled.

Off to the side, there was a stumble and a pile of laughter as Aang and Momo crashed and tumbled over each other. With a faint smile of her own Zana spoke, "Yeah, you are right…" Katara stared at her, "About what?" "That it is pretty hard to believe that someday that boy will be responsible for the world…"

Soon enough, the sky grew a deep navy blue and there were hundreds of stars sprinkled above their heads and surrounding the moon like a glittering halo. Zana volunteered herself for the first watch while Iroh, Aang, and Katara fell fast asleep around the blazing fire she had made. As soon as she was sure that all of the others had fallen asleep, she stood and stretched her arms high above her head.

There was a slight and unusual chilly nip to the breeze. It was nearly the beginning of summer, but the weather made it feel like the early beginnings of fall instead. It caused Zana pull her worn cloak tighter around her body. To keep herself occupied during the nearly silent hours, she paced back and forth along the river's edge as her feet kicked the glistening pebbles with every step. It was a soothing sound, coupled with the running water less than a stone's throw away. Hugging her arms to her side, Zana realized that she had no intention of waking any of the others for their watches. She wanted to be awake and prepared for Zuko and Sokka's hopefully safe return.

The next morning, along with the warm hues of the sunrise, came a renewed strength for Zana. She had stayed up the entire night just hoping for any sign of the two teens, but by the time the full moon was directly above her in the sky, she realized that Zuko would have been smart enough to bed down for the night and wait for the rejuvenating light.

The rays that cast across everything not covered by the trees began to wash over the exhausted Zana-helping her not to feel so worn out and tired. She sat on the outskirts of the small camp, facing the woods with her knees pulled tightly to her chest. Zana resembled a small forlorn child with her sleeves covering her clasped hands and hood pulled taut atop her head.

Even without looking, she was able to tell that all of the other traveling companions were still fast asleep by the slight snoring and sleepy-rustling sounds from beside her. Zana sighed. She was still hoping that the boys were ok, but she was so tired after traveling for so far and long without rest. Not to mention that her fight with Zuko had emotionally drained her as well. She kept watch a little while longer until her eyelids became unbearably heavy. Her sight flickered in and out with her consciousness, until she saw movement from the tree line. She sat up straight and when the motion did not stop, Zana stood in her ready-stance.

She had no idea what to expect, but a wave of relief washed over her once she saw Zuko's frame shove his way through the brush. Soon after came Sokka's clumsy body. Without another thought, She broke out into a full run to greet the returning boys. She was going to go straight to Zuko, but she thought twice about it and veered off at the last second and landed in Sokka's arms with a laugh instead, "I am so glad that you're ok!"

After traveling for an hour or so Zuko and Sokka finally reached the edge of the forest. "The end, at last!" cried Sokka. Zuko looked back over his shoulder and spoke very matter-of-factly, "Yes, but I don't know how sure I can be that we are going to come out somewhere near the campsite."

"I don't care," Sokka called ahead, "at least we are getting out of these dismal woods!" Zuko couldn't help but snicker to himself in agreement. He too wanted to get out of there as soon as possible, but probably for much different reasons than Sokka had. Zuko wanted to speak with Zana–to at least try to apologize for acting like he had earlier. The light grew brighter still and soon Zuko shoved his way past some bushes and branches and into the blinding sun. He was all at once rejuvenated with a surge of the power he had been missing, but it was so bright and different from the dim forest that it took Zuko a few seconds to catch his bearings.

Squinting, he was able to see a few shapes that looked as if they made out a campsite, but he was interrupted when Sokka shoved past him, nearly knocking him over. By then, Zuko was able to see where they were and they, in fact, had come out somewhat near their campsite. Then, there came Zana. She was running at the two of them as if they had been gone for weeks instead of a night. For a second, he thought she was going to jump into his arms, but she ended up landing in Sokka's. Zuko couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment.

Sokka and Zana ended up toppling backwards into the brush with bouts of laughter. Zuko sidestepped the two and moved to help Zana up. She turned her face to the sky to see Zuko. There was still a smile brightening her eyes and the sight made Zuko's heart skip half a beat. She reached up for his hand and took it as he gently pulled Zana to her feet. Their eyes locked for the first time since their fight and Zuko slowly opened his mouth to speak, "Zana…we-" "Hey! Sokka still stuck down here!" the warrior called up as he pulled at his tunic hem that Zuko had accidentally been standing on.

With a growl, Zuko stepped off of Sokka and Zana slipped her hands from his. She instead helped Sokka to his own feet. "Come on…they should all be awake back at the camp. No one could have slept through that ruckus," Zana said with a giggle. She and Sokka walked ahead and Zuko soon followed slowly behind. He may have missed it, but he thought he saw Zana glance back over her shoulder at him, but he may have been mistaken.


	20. Chapter 20:Apologize

I hope all of you loyal readers are enjoying this story! Thank you SO , much to all of you reviewers who keep up and those of you who don't, I would REALLY appreciate it if you did! Thanks and here is chapter 20-a milestone! CONGRADULATIONS TO ME, YAY! It is a little short, but here it is!

Apologize

Zana walked Sokka back to the rest of the slowly rousing group. She was so glad that he was ok, but found herself feeling slightly guilty when she realized that she had hoped more so for Zuko. She knew the Fire Bender was much more capable of taking care of himself and everyone else around him, but Zana couldn't help but feel that way.

When the two of them were no more than a stone's throw away from the others, Katara sat up, rubbed the sleep from her eyes and spotted her older brother safely on Zana's arm. Quickly, she sprang to her feet and went to meet them. Aang soon followed in her wake. "Sokka! You're ok!" Katara exclaimed happily. Jokingly, he replied, "What? Don't think I can take care of myself?" None of the others answered… "Hey!"

"So, what happened to you?" Zana interjected before Sokka had a chance to go on a rant. "Well, there I was…looking for any sign of food," he began-pleased to redirect a more flattering light on himself. Zana tried to listen intently, but she was slightly distracted as Zuko walked up beside her. There was no denying that she was still stung by the fact that he hadn't told her that he loved her. The more she thought about it, however, Zuko redeemed himself by not just saying what she had wanted to hear to get what _he_ wanted.

Throughout the duration of all of the cheerful greetings that welcomed Zuko and Sokka back to the rest of the campsite, Zana had a difficult time controlling her drooping eyelids. Staying up the entire night had finally taken its toll on her mind and body. Her head nodded slightly, but she quickly straightened her spine at the light touch of Zuko's fingers grazing the back of her arm. He had tried to speak with her back when he and Sokka had first returned from the forest, but they had been interrupted. Zana suspected that Zuko was attempting to strike up another conversation with her, but she refused to make it that easy for him.

Zana shifted her weight slightly so her arm was just barely out of Zuko's subtle reach. "Zana?" came Katara's voice. It was then that Zana realized that she had lost track of the conversation because of her own sleep deprivation-shortened attention span. Her mind was not as sharp as it should have been and she felt slightly vulnerable, especially since she was unable to multitask-as in ignore Zuko and pay attention to the others at the same time. "Are you alright? You look kind of dazed." Katara said. "I am just tired, that's all," Zana attempted a smile at her. "Well you should be, " came Katara's concerned voice with her realization, "You didn't wake any of us for our shifts, did you?" The Water Bender looked over to Aang for some sort of confirmation. In return, the boy shook his head. Zana had no idea that her companions would have reacted the way they had. She didn't know that they cared enough.

"Why don't you rest for now-I think we can handle the two deserters," Katara smirked, "Besides, we have spent enough time here that I don't think that a few hours will make that great of a difference." Zana gave a weary but thankful glance to her friend and turned away to find a quiet place to sleep. All the while, she ignored Zuko's subtle advances towards a conversation that he was obviously very anxious to have. She knew that he really wished to speak with her, but she was simply too exhausted to care that much.

Inside, Zuko was furious at how he was being treated by Zana, but outwardly, he was a picture of apathy. Though he wanted so badly to deny it, Zuko knew that she had a right to treat him the way that she was. The whole point was that he was trying his best to apologize for the whole messed-up situation the two of them were muddled up in, but Zana was just being to damn aggravatingly difficult.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko was able to slyly watch Zana's every move. He saw her pace for a short time before deciding on settling down beneath a large, overhanging tree near the bank of the river. As he glanced in her direction, Zuko really did his best to listen to the congratulatory words being chirped at him by the Water Bender and his Uncle. It was difficult because once Zuko put his mind to something; it was hard to convince him otherwise.

He heard something being said about breakfast and all he could do was roll his eyes-it was exactly how the whole delay had started; by sending an idiot out into the forest to look for food alone. "You and Sokka must be tired, huh, Zuko?" Iroh placed a hand atop his distracted nephew's shoulder. Looking back into his face, Zuko realized that his Uncle mistook his wandering eyes for exhaustion. He opened his mouth to speak up, but Iroh spoke over him, "Well, then, it is settled. The Avatar, Katara, and I will find something to eat while the two of you and Zana get some well-deserved shut-eye."

"Fine by me," Sokka piped up at the chance for more laziness. Realizing his chance at finally being able to speak with Zana, Zuko agreed to the plan. As Sokka got comfortable, Zuko watched the retreating backs of the tiny group of three…plus one Flying Lemur. He proceeded to sit where he stood to make it seem as if he really were going to rest so as not to alert Sokka to his intentions. Zuko sat there, completely motionless and staring in Zana's general direction until he was certain that Sokka's breathing had evened out and the snoring that came from his chest showed that he was in a deep enough sleep that it would be a trial to wake him.

Zuko stood slowly and quietly made his way over to where Zana lay. As he walked, he planned out what he was going to say. His thoughts were halted when he finally came within a stone's throw away from the sleeping girl. Zana was on her back and her chest heaved with each steady, sleeping breath while her long, dark hair fell tousled across the cloak tucked beneath her head as a sort of makeshift pillow. Zuko's eyes wandered to her midriff where her hands were draped listlessly and then back to her soft and resting features. He jumped in surprise as one of her crystal eyes sprang open and stared at him while her once pristine mouth gave a slightly harsh, "What are you staring at?"

Zana reveled in the stunned look that was on Zuko's face, but she did not show it. She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. All the while, though Zana refused to break her confrontational gaze with Zuko's amber eyes. She had to give him praise for the way he had the guts to speak to her though she was giving him such a hard time. To her astonishment, Zuko moved towards her and sat just a finger's width from Zana's hip. Her eyes flicked for just a second to his side, but quickly returned her gaze to Zuko's face. Zana intertwined her fingers to giver her body something to do as her mind waited for an apology that she hoped was coming.

She had known that Zuko would come over to her, which was why she did not allow herself to fall into a deep sleep-though her body was screaming out how badly she desired the rest. Zana was certain that she looked positively grizzly from being sleep-deprived for so long after traveling so hard. Zuko didn't seem to mind, however. He simply continued to look back into her face. His gaze was so intense that it soon became unnerving and she had to look away.

Instead, Zana focused on the wilting branches of the tree they were sitting beneath. Their spindly branches trailed bright green, pointed leaves into the deep blue river. The current was swift there and it tugged at the resistant tree in a never-ending struggle. The dappled light was constantly shifting along with the branches in the water and the slight breeze that cooled their exposed flesh. Zana could still feel Zuko's eyes boring into her side and she could no longer take it. She either wanted him to say what he had to, or leave her be.

Zuko was trying his best to collect his thoughts before he actually spoke them out loud to Zana, but when he tried, all that he could compose was a jumbled and miscellaneous mess. In the meantime, she had looked away and given him more time to think. Besides, Zuko hadn't counted on her actually being awake. All of a sudden, Zana turned back to glare at Zuko and that caught him off guard yet again, "Well?" she said, "You came over here for a reason, didn't you?" Zuko pressed his palm harder onto an unearthed root and its roughness bit into his flesh. He suddenly wasn't so sure he wanted to apologize to her any more. Zuko felt himself inhale deeply to keep his calm and he opened his mouth to begin, "Zana…I know that I have been saying this a lot lately, but I really am sorry about pressuring you. It was not the right thing to do. I guess I am just getting a little more stressed out as we get closer and closer to getting off of this island and on our way to the Fire Nation."

Zana's heart began to melt. It was true that Zuko had been saying he was sorry a gret deal since they had first met, but, no matter the amount, this one seemed just as-if not more-sincere as all of the others. She held back her grateful smile as she continued to listen to him. "I guess everything just got misplaced," Zuko said while resisting every urge of his to wring his hands together…he had never gotten that urge before. "I was just not able…to-you know…say…," he stuttered slightly.

Then Zana finally released her smile, saving him from having to say what he wasn't quite ready to, "I get the idea. I kind of overreacted as well, Zuko." It felt so good to him to hear her say those things. It let him know that she didn't really hate him as much as he had thought she did. Zuko was unable to control the excited pang that he felt with the hope that he still might get his way in the future. He quickly cleared his throat to rid himself of the thought. Zana's eyes lit up, "Well, at least now we are on speaking terms." With the words her entire body loosened up and all her previously taut muscles relaxed as she sat back again and her cloak provided a comfier cushion than the pebbled beach. Zuko watched as her legs stretched out forward, towards the water and he allowed his gaze to linger as it slowly returned to her face. Zana made an amused noise from the back of her throat and tipped her head to the side. "So…what changed your mind?" He was a little confused and his face gave it away. "About the whole stubbornness thing…I never thought you would give in on something like…what we were fighting over," Zana clarified. "Some great revelation with Sokka out in the pitch-black forest?" she giggled.

Zuko sat himself back and rested his head against the trunk of the great tree. He gave a half-hearted, lop-sided grin, "Actually, yes…" Zuko closed his eyes and reveled in the serenity of everything around him. "What?" Zana laughed out loud that time. Zuko shrugged, his sight still blocked by his heavy eyelids, but just the sound of Zana's surprise beside him was enough to elicit a smile. "I just...figured out what was bothering me and why it was so important for me to make it right," Zuko opened one of his eyes. He saw that Zana was sitting forward and staring at him. "So hard to believe?" he asked coyly. "No," Zana said in a low tone, "Not at all," she leaned forward and placed an arm on either side of Zuko's broad chest. He was a caught off guard at what Zana was doing and his other eye sprang open. "I think that, deep down, you will eventually do what is right," Zana's voice was soft and her breath warm on his face. Zuko couldn't help but hold his breath as he tried to deduct what her intentions were.

His golden eyes focused on Zana's parted lips as she leaned forward. She lifted one of her hands and her fingertips grazed Zuko's jaw line. He couldn't help but lean forward to reach her touch sooner, but just as their mouths were about to meet, there came a cry from behind them. They immediately pulled away from each other and rushed around to the opposite side of the tree. With Zuko by her side, Zana rushed over to the woods where the sound had come from. Within a few moments, Aang, Katara, and Iroh burst through the tree line. "What? What is it?" Zana asked, mentally preparing herself for an encounter with Fire Nation troops. Aang panted, "It's Appa! We found him!"

I know that this may disappoint all of you loyal readers and reviewers, but my life is a little chaotic right now with my Sweet 16 coming up, so I think that this story will have to take a slight break… At the very latest, I will have a new chapter by September, but probably sooner! I will try to get the new chapter finished sooner if I get good responses and reviews, so if you want more chapters faster, you have to REVIEW! Sorry about this, but I would rather let you all know what is going on than leave you hanging!


	21. Chapter 21:Flight

After such a long wait and so much anticipation…finally, here is chapter 21 of _Two Against a Nation_! Sorry it took me so long! Please let me know what you think!

Flight

Zana could do all but hide her shocked elation that came with Aang's words and she nearly climbed out of her own skin. She turned to Zuko to gauge his reaction, but there was hardly anything, if nothing. Zana turned back to Aang and could see just how much it meant to see Appa again by the way he nearly choked on his own, ecstatic words. Her once readied fists came instead to her face as Zana finally found words, "Isn't this excellent, Zuko? Now we can get to the Fire Nation sooner than we had thought!"

She could no longer resist the urge, so she gave in and threw her arms around Zuko's neck in front of everyone. Zana couldn't help but notice how tense the Fire Bender's body was against hers, but she took it as his being uncomfortable with the contact they were sharing as the others watched. By the time Zana had released Zuko, Katara had gotten Sokka up and over to their little circle in record time. "Where is he?" Sokka yawned deeply.

"Just a little while into the woods, through the other side near the ocean!" Aang answered with a wide grin. "It was so good to see him again." Zana frowned a little, "I didn't think that we were that close to open water…" Katara spoke up, "I didn't either, but it's true." Iroh shuffled forward, "Well, what are we waiting for?" Zana remembered something, "Oh, I will go grab my cloak, and then we can be on our way." She turned and went back to the giant tree near the water's edge.

Zuko didn't even glance at Zana's retreating frame or hear the chattering voices surrounding him…he was basically in shock. His hands were limp and numb at his sides and he had to twitch his fingers to see if they were still there. Zuko had always thought that he would enjoy the time he had when he finally got his revenge on his father, for his banishment, scar, mistreatment, and for all the pain that had been handed to him over the years. It was so much more of a deal now that it was staring him the face and close enough to bite him. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. Zuko basically had he entire fate of the world riding on his shoulders and his arms subconsciously slumped slightly. The more the people around him spoke excitedly, the more his churning stomach acid took the form of dread. It was such an alien feeling to him because Zuko never feared anything like that before. He had not even felt that way before his Angi Kai with his father. Only the sound of Zana trotting back to his side broke Zuko out of the sort of trance he seemed to be in, "Now, we can go!" the Double Bender said gleefully.

Without another word, the little group made their way to Appa. "Zuko? Are you coming?" Zana called over her shoulder. He hadn't realized that his body had still been stationary. Zuko took a deep breath, "Yes…" The time for things to fall into place was long overdue and Zuko knew what was owed to him.

It wasn't long, maybe half an hour at most of near silence, before they began to hear deep rumblings from said Flying Bison. Aang sped ahead of everybody else to get to Appa first. Then, Katara took off after him while Iroh and Sokka happily conversed at their own pace. That left Zana and Zuko to carry up the rear, as usual. Zuko's features were stone and distant and it concerned Zana. The girl looked up into his face. She was dying to know why Zuko had sealed himself off from everything so suddenly, but she decided not to push her luck. Not to mention that they had just made up from a previous argument and she felt that another one so soon was definitely not in order. Instead, Zana said, "So…since you were tracking Aang for so long, you must know what Appa looks like, right?" She had asked it hopefully-wondering if Zuko would even acknowledge her.

He looked back into Zana's face, deciding it would be better if he actually answered her. "You haven't seen a Flying Bison before?" Zana raised an eyebrow, ""Well, only in a few select pictures back in the Fire Nation…obviously never in real life. They were thought to have died out along with the Air Nomads." Zana thought about what she had said, "Then again, here we are with the last Air Bender and the Avatar in the same person thought to have died one hundred years ago, so I guess anything is possible." She followed her words with one of her smiles that made Zuko want to return with one of his own. Zuko was able to hold back, however.

"If you have seen drawings, then why are you asking me?" He asked Zana with one of the tones of his voice that he knew would, at the very least, get her riled up a little. She frowned as if he had been daft to ask, "Those were artist renditions…I want to know the real thing." All Zuko did in reply was stare back down onto her soft features. It felt so good to be in her graces again. Especially with Zana, he knew that if he ever really got her pissed again he would have to watch his back. "What?" she asked. "Nothing," Zuko turned his head forward again so it seemed as if the conversation had ended and there was only the crunching of the littered forest floor between them.

Zana broke the silence, "Well…?" More or less, she was trying to create conversation to try and gauge what was bugging Zuko, but she was actually curious. All of the art that she had seen had been censored and, therefore, only depicted the other Nations as the evils. The Flying Bison that she had seen had all been vicious looking creatures with gigantic bodies and heads that seemed big enough to swallow a fleet of ships one by one. Zana knew that Appa had to be large if he was expected to carry all of them at once and the way Aang had spoken of the creature, he seemed more of a lump than a man-eating beast. All of the signs pointed to a vast exaggeration, but she was not surprised. Zana almost thought it sad that a Nation would lie so much to its people, but she didn't know just how much to expect from the very same Nation that had banished and nearly forgotten its own Prince.

The rumbling was growing louder and louder and Zuko could tell that they were all getting close. " 'Well', what?" he asked just trying to annoy her. "I don't know…"Zana replied sarcastically, "maybe the same question that I have been asking you over and over again?" Zuko saw the edge of the forest less than a stone's throw away. He didn't see why it was such a big deal, but he said, "Why don't you see for yourself?" Seconds after they stepped through the brush and there, in all of his bulk, was Appa, the Flying Bison.

Zuko looked over at Zana's face to see her elated expression. "Anything like the scrolls?" he said with a knowing lilt to his voice. "He's adorable!" Zana cried and ran over to the others who had already surrounded the behemoth. Zuko could not help but give an amused half-laugh along with the puzzled look on his face. It was so strange to see such a "girly" side to someone who could very well kick his ass…then again; Zana really was a girl so he decided to give her some leeway. Zuko followed at his own pace-still apprehensive about the entire plan.

Zana strode towards Aang and the others, "Appa is…amazing!" she said astounded. "I never thought I would actually see one of these…" She held out one of her hands to the large creature. Her palm was barely a fraction of the size of the beast's gigantic nose, yet it somehow tested her scent without inhaling her completely. Zana laughed in her ringing, singsong way again as Zuko continued to hang back at a safe distance from what was going on. He felt he did not need to get any closer to Appa until it was absolutely necessary.

His arms crossed his chest as he watched the others gush over the giant as if her were the most welcome sight to their eyes. Even Iroh seemed to be enjoying himself as he was already settled into the large saddle attached to the Flying Bison's back. Sokka too was up there and he yelled down to his sister, "I never thought I would be so happy to see Appa!" Katara called back up to him, "I never thought you would be happy to see Appa, _period_!" The Water Bender proceeded to clamber up the animal's tail and join Zuko's Uncle atop the Flying Bison. Zuko couldn't help but wonder how Iroh had made it up there so fast, but he brushed it off as being insignificant. He looked instead to the Avatar. Aang had Bended a breeze to carry himself effortlessly up to the animal's head.

It was such a familiar sight to Zuko as countless times he had gone after that boy and his traveling companions on Appa. Yet, he had never really seemed to successfully have him in his grasp long enough for a victory celebration. Zuko gave a gruff sigh and looked instead back to Zana. Aang was speaking down to her from Appa's head. Her dark head nodded and she was soon helped onto the beast's head with the assistance of a little Air Bending. She plopped down beside the Avatar and the spoke contentedly seeming to have forgotten all about Zuko. He didn't mind, however. He was happy to prolong their upcoming flight as long as possible. His back found a tree trunk at the edge of the forest and leaned against it. Uncrossing his arms, Zuko flicked his fingers and a spark appeared. It danced across his moving fingertips and gave him something else to look at and think about instead of Zana and the Flying Bison before him.

Even from the simple Fire Bending he was doing that even a child could perform, Zuko could tell that he needed to do some serious training…otherwise he knew that he would be too rusty to complete the task that lay before him. _What happened to me?_ Zuko thought, _I was so disciplined…_ but he knew very well what had happened to him and it involved a beautifully cheeky female soldier.

"Are you coming, Zuko, or would you rather stay here alone?" Zana's voice called to him. It broke his concentration and his flame flickered out with the ocean wind. He looked up to see the group and Appa outlined with the midday glare of the sun reflecting off of the nearby ocean. He squinted and slowly began to make his way over to them. He focused on Zana's smiling face, but then a gust of wind came from his back and caused his scent to be blown directly towards Appa. The animal, recognizing the smell of danger, bellowed deeply. The sound reverberated through all of their bodies like a wave when all of a sudden; Appa began pounding his feet on the ground and everything seemed like an earthquake was ravaging the earth around them all. Zuko had to fling out his arms to keep his balance while everyone else atop the animal had to grab onto something for their lives. The situation was already bad, but it was made worse when Aang tried to console his Flying Bison, "Appa! Calm down! It's only Zuko!" he cried clutching his reins in both hands like a lifeline. After the words, Appa took a few steps towards the flailing Zuko. The beast's eyes were wild and his intentions clear-Appa was tired of being chased by the angry Fire Bender and he wanted to protect all of the innocents perched on his back and head.

The people watching helplessly from the higher vantage point cried out and Zuko jumped out of the way just in time as a giant foot came down where he had once stood. He came out of his roll in a crouched position and glared back at the beast and yelled to Aang, "Can't you control him?" Aang pulled on the reins as had as he could, "I'm trying my best!"

While Zuko was busy paying attention to Appa's head, where Aang sat, he carelessly lost track of the animal's tail. Aang saw what was coming and leapt off of Appa's head to Zuko's side. It was that motion that finally caught the Fire Bender's attention and he turned to where Aang was looking. He stood in a prepared stance and his fist was engulfed in fire, "I'll do it if I have to, Avatar!" he said, without even looking at the boy. Aang's eyes grew wider, "Appa, _no_!" His hands went up as if he were physically going to stop the animal's tail, but instead he spun his arms and a great gust of wind countered Appa's attack and his tail dropped to the ground.

It finally seemed that the Flying Bison heard Aang and he simply stopped and stood there, giving off the occasional confused and agitated rumble. Zuko stood up straight and extinguished his hand. He panted slightly as he released the breath that he hadn't realized that he had been holding. His eyes tore themselves away from Appa and found Aang who was standing stiffly beside him. For once, the boy was so quiet and still that Zuko couldn't help but wonder what was going on inside of his head.

Aang heard Zuko shuffle to his left. He understood why Appa had acted the way he had, Zuko was a slightly intimidating person and he had done them wrong so many times before. It just surprised Aang how unwilling Appa was to listen to him. He had never thought that he would ever have to use bending on a friend-especially one as dear to him as Appa. Granted, he hadn't hurt him, but it was still slightly shocking.

The Avatar looked over at Zuko. He was also dumbfounded over Zuko's threat towards Appa. Sure, he knew that they had some sort of a "companionship"…but it was more of a situation where there was an unspoken, yet fragile-more than likely temporary-truce. It was true that Aang had seen the teenager change so much from the previous meetings that they had had, but he was obviously willing to use Bending against _anything_ that opposed him. Aang sighed and shook his head to clear it and began to think about heading back towards Appa. "I'm sorry about that, Zuko…" The Fire Bender turned his head, "It's…not really your fault. I guess I can see where he is coming from," he said understanding why the whole thing had happened-he knew that he hadn't exactly been the kindest person the Flying Bison had encountered. "We should probably try again, that is…if we want to be on our way any time soon," Aang spoke up.

Before Zuko could reply, he was interrupted by Iroh calling to them, "Are you two alright down there?" Zuko replied, "Yes…I just don't think that he likes me very much." He knew it was a weak attempt to lighten the mood and to loosen the tension, but at least he was trying. Zuko looked back at Aang. "Why don't we try this a different way," the Avatar said. He felt the wind and walked into it and out of Appa's line of sight. Zuko followed closely behind. "We're downwind so Appa won't be able to catch your scent and he can't see you either. Now…stand here," Aang said and pointed to a spot in front of him. Zuko obliged. "I am gunna Bend the air around you so you can get up there without him really having a clue," the boy said, seemingly proud of his plan.

Zuko nodded in compliance and was soon hurtled through the air and he landed with ease in the middle of the saddle, surrounded by all the others. He looked at Zana and saw her give a brief smile at the sight of him intact. His uncle patted the spot beside him and Zuko sat down at Iroh's hip. He didn't exactly feel like being obstinate at that point. Sokka and Katara looked on in silence as Aang suddenly appeared atop Appa's head, "Now are we ready to get off this island?" Sokka whined. "Yep! First-time flyers…hold on tight!" Aang called over his shoulder. Zana and Iroh held onto the edge of the saddle, but Zuko continued to sit there as if they really weren't about to take off.

"Appa, yip, yip!" Aang said and with a jerk, they became airborne and on their way to the Fire Nation. Zuko, however, was not prepared for the shaky take-off and had to quickly grasp onto the decorative edge of the saddle to keep himself stable and intact. As a reflex, Zana reached over and snatched the breast of Zuko's tunic to prevent him from tumbling out. "You alright?" she asked as his white knuckles clutched the sides. He swallowed deeply, "I'm fine." She released his shirt, but Zuko was not fine…he really did not like the idea of flying any more and all he could do was look straight ahead to occupy his mind from just how high up they must be. He had seen Appa from the ground and he knew how hard it was to spot him because of the height at which he flew. Zuko swallowed deeply again.

Meanwhile, on a great ship of ebony metal a scout called up to the ship's captain, "Sir! I have spotted something flying through the clouds…it may be the Avatar." "Well done…you are dismissed." With that, the young man left the wheelhouse and left the captain with his navigator. He smiled, his graying skin wrinkling more since the…incident. His paling hair had more streaks of white in it than he would have liked and his body ached with every movement. "General, Sir?" the navigator interrupted his reminiscing. "Yes?" "How would you like us to proceed?" The older man took a moment to think, "Follow them, but barely… We don't want out _friends_ to know that we are on their trail." "Yes, Sir." The General cracked his stiff arm; he could hardly wait to see the look on that child's face when he saw who had come back from the dead…


	22. Chapter 22:Memory

Hey there to all of my fans! I am so glad to be writing again after such a long absence and I hope that all of you didn't miss me too much. I have tried MANY, MANY times to submit this chapter and I just kept getting error messages!!! Talk about going insane! I am SO sorry about it and I hope that all of you loyal readers out there forgive me... After all of the wait, here is the next chapter of my story and PLEASE, PLEASE review!!!! I have my next chapter started and my goal is to reach 60 reviews before I publish it, so if you all want a new chapter, YOU NEED TO REVIEW!!! ENJOY!!!

Memory

The sun began to set and the group atop the giant Flying Bison was beginning to settle in for the evening. That was, all except for Zuko. All of them had decided that since they had no real bearings as to where they were, they thought it would be a good thing to fly until they hit land, find a map, and then make their way to the deserted island on the edge of the Fire Nation.

Meanwhile, Zuko had barely moved so much as a finger's width since they had taken off. His eyes shifted from person to person around him. Sokka and Katara seemed at home on the behemoth. Still atop Appa's head, sat Aang. The boy had made himself comfortable and had released the reigns completely. Zuko turned to Zana, who had already gotten used to the undulating motion of their flight, was at ease. She was chattering away with Katara over something and her smile seemed to light up her entire face.

"We have not had the opportunity to speak much, lately, my Nephew," came Iroh's voice. Zuko's head whipped over to his Uncle who was sitting cross-legged with his hands in his lap. The younger Fire Bender's arms tightened again on the saddle. "You look tense," Iroh smiled knowingly. Zuko scowled in return to his Uncle's remark. "It's not that bad is it?" Zuko just rolled his eyes and looked away again. He wasn't looking forward to a conversation. Instead, he looked back at Zana.

Somehow, her and Katara's conversation had switched to hair. Zana sat facing Zuko with her eyes close and head tipped back as the Water Bender did something to the back of Zana's head. Zuko watched curiously since he had never really cared to examine teenage girls interacting before. "Ah," came Iroh's voice again, "So I see the two of you have made up, am I right?" Zuko immediately slipped into a defensive mode, "What are you talking about?" he hissed so no one else would be able to hear him over the wind or the constant noises Appa was making. "Why, you and Miss Zana, of course," Iroh smiled again, seemingly proud of his observation. Unable to think of a better retort on such short notice, Zuko growled, "Who said we were fighting in the first place?" Iroh gave a half-shrug, "Call it the intuition of an old man…let's not forget that your Uncle used to be quite the ladies' man when he was your age…" Zuko grimaced, not even daring his mind to fill in the rather disturbing blanks.

"I remember this one girl…she had a figure like you wouldn't believe-" "Alright, I think I get the idea!" Zuko cut in, trying his best to avoid what he knew had been coming. "Fine," Iroh made a faux sad face, "then don't listen to the glory days of your beloved Uncle…" The older man barely waited a heartbeat before perking up, "Either way, however, it is about time _someone_ found a special lady friend," Iroh grinned. Zuko rolled his eyes and proceeded to tune Iroh out and concentrate only on what the others were doing.

It wasn't long until night fell and the group settled down. They had debated again about stopping to rest somewhere, but there had been no land in sight and Aang reassured them all that Appa could probably use the exercise. Since Aang, Katara, and Sokka had all of their familiar supplies back, they seemed right at home while Iroh could sleep soundly practically anywhere. Zuko had watched as the sea seemed to swallow the sun and spit night back out. It made Zuko feel all the more uneasy as he was not among his element any more, not to mention he wasn't even on solid ground. It had captured his attention for a while and Zuko had begun to allow himself to loosen up.

His head tilted back and allowed his glowing eyes to examine the expanse of sky above him. The moon seemed so full and bright that night and he couldn't help but ponder the events that had taken place back at the North Pole Water Tribe. He only knew half of the story and he never liked being in that situation. Zuko blinked and shifted his gaze to a mere coo beside him. It had been Zana.

Somehow, in all of his nervousness, he had nearly forgotten that she must not be very comfortable atop the beast: just as he was. She was sitting with her legs tucked beneath her, as there wasn't much room near Zuko since Iroh's snoring bulk was only a few inches away from his own body. Subconsciously, Zuko's grip retightened on the saddle. Zana silently proceeded to lay out her cloak across her lap because the air blowing over them had grown chilly while the weather had cooled with the sun's setting. Zuko watched her smooth deliberate movements and, in their own odd way, they caused him to relax. It was just something about Zana's constantly mellow demeanor that put Zuko at ease.

When she had finished, Zana looked back up at Zuko. Normally, she would have respected Zuko's "space issues", but he had looked so uncomfortable that she decided that it was best to go over and subtly comfort him a little.

Zuko was staring back at her and Zana's stomach did a slight flip-flopping motion. His golden eyes seemed to nearly glow in the dim night. Though his features were their usual stone, she was able to tell that he was relieved that she had come to his side. Zana couldn't help the growing urge she had to finish what she had started back on the island, just before the others had returned with the news that they had rediscovered Appa. Her gazes flickered momentarily to his lips and then quickly back to his eyes. Zuko seemed to be reading her mind, because he took a quick survey of the others before leaning down to give Zana a quick kiss on the lips.

He pulled away and returned to looking at the sky as if nothing had happened. Though, all the while, he held back a smirk, because he had glimpsed the look on Zana's face before pulling away. He knew she had wanted it as much as he.

Zana's eyes were wide and could only stare at Zuko's strong profile. She was glad because that meant he was not able to see the way she still blushed after they kissed-even if it was only just for a split second.

She was on his left side, so her view was obstructed by the large scare that ripped across his face. It was all she could do to resist the urge to reach up and touch his scar once again and instead her hands played with the cloak across her lap. She quietly cleared her throat and reached over to grab one of Zuko's hands, which had been clutching the railing of the saddle with all of their strength.

It took a little coaxing but he eventually released his death-grip. Zuko looked back down at Zana. Her velvet fingertips traced the outline of his palm and he was able to feel himself loosening up with the mere friction of her skin on his. "It's funny…" Zana said. Her soft words were barely audible over the hum of Appa and the wind rushing around them. "What is?" Zuko asked, equally as soft-his eyes staring unblinkingly at the pattern Zana's fingers were making. The girl waited a few seconds more before answering, "…how only hours ago we weren't speaking to each other and now, we're here, atop a Flying Bison, holding hands…" She gave a curt laugh, "I'm sorry. It all sounds so absurd and childish…" Zana released Zuko's hand. He found it odd that he missed her touch after only a few seconds.

Zana felt foolish for having said such stupid things to Zuko. She turned away and looked out over Appa's head into the murky blue abyss. She couldn't help but wonder how the beast was able to see in such light.

Zuko looked down at the top of Zana's head. It was true: what she had said had actually sounded like something out of a child's fairytale- not that he had paid any attention to the ones he had been told when he was younger…

He thought about it more and knew that he didn't want Zana to feel bad or become upset with him again, so, very reluctantly, Zuko released the railing of the saddle and his arm snuck its way around her waist. Without having a change in his facial features, he gently tugged her closer to his side, and he forced himself to ignore the sensation he felt when her body heat penetrated the fabric of his clothing.

With his thoughts distracted from just how high up they were, Zuko realized that it was not that bad riding the Flying Bison. It was a much different experience than his first. That time, he had nearly gotten himself killed back at the North Pole-not to mention he had been tied up. Then there had been that battle with-Zuko's muscles involuntarily tightened-Zhao… His memory must have suppressed his final battle with the General. It had, obviously, been more preoccupied with keeping himself alive.

"Zuko?" Zana's concerned voice came as she squirmed from his fingers digging into her side. Zuko had to will himself to lighten his grip so as to not alert Zana that there was anything bothering him.

He couldn't help but look into her face again to search for any hint at all that Zhao was her sire, but, no matter how hard he tried, he was unable to see any traces of the General in her soft features. Zuko found it hard to believe she was his enemy's daughter and he no longer kicked himself over not knowing what family Zana came from-she was nothing like her father. "What?" Zana gave a slightly self-conscious laugh. "What's 'what'?" Zuko replied. "You're staring…" Zuko blinked and said, "It's nothing," and then looked away.

The girl sighed and placed her head on his shoulder. She cooed, "You should get some rest." Without moving, Zuko gave only a grunt as an answer. He was too busy thinking. _I was the only one there…I am the only one who knows Zhao is dead…_ Zuko's eyes flicked to Aang, _I don't even think the Avatar knows he killed Zhao-he probably would have said something by now._ Careful not to disturb Zana on his other shoulder, Zuko lifted his hand from his side and stared at it: _I let him die… I tried to show mercy and save him, but he pulled his hand back…_ "I tried, Zana," he whispered under his breath and she barely stirred. Zuko knew that Zhao had hurt Zana deeply, but, from the sound of it, he understood Zhao was all Zana had left in the world.

Shifting, Zuko gently put his cheek on the top of Zana's head. He wanted to fill that void for her, but Zuko knew sooner or later he would have to let everyone know what had happened back at the North Pole Water Kingdom.

Soon, his eyelids grew too heavy to keep open and Zuko fell asleep, despite being so high above an endless ocean.


End file.
